Middle East
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh speaks at a news conference at the Pentagon, Virginia, on November 4. Photo: AP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States Department of Defense on Tuesday announced that there have been 55 attacks on American troops stationed in Iraq and Syria over the past month, causing minor injuries to nearly 60 US personnel.
American bases of the US-led global coalition against Islamic State (ISIS) have been struck by Iran-backed militias at least 27 times in Iraq and 28 times in Syria since October 17, according to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh.
The Iranian proxies have stated that their attacks against the US bases are in response to Washington’s support for Israel in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Singh told reporters that at least 27 US personnel have been evacuated due to traumatic brain injuries resulting from the attacks, and additional 32 have been evacuated for non-serious injuries. “As of today, all 59 have returned to duty.”
The US has responded with three retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed militia targets in Syria, most recently targeting two Iran-linked facilities in Deir ez-Zor province, east of the country.
Singh stated that the US has been “deliberate” in its strikes against the groups, adding that the reason they have only carried out strikes in Syria so far is because Washington is targeting places where it deems it can make “the most impact,” noting that the US feels ”very confident” in the targeting and precision of these strikes.
Singh stressed that the purpose of the strikes carried out by the US in Syria is to "strongly signal" to Iran and its affiliated groups "to stop."
Around 2,500 American troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria are leading an international coalition through Operation Inherent Resolve that has assisted Kurdish, Iraqi, and local Syrian forces in the fight against ISIS, which once held swathes of land in Iraq and Syria but was declared devoid of territorial control in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
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