The U.S. military is investigating an accident in Syria involving a helicopter that left 22 American service members wounded, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday night.
A helicopter “mishap” June 11 in northeastern Syria “resulted in injuries of various degrees to 22 U.S. service members,” a press release from CENTCOM stated. The statement added that all of the service members are receiving treatment for the injuries they have sustained. Ten of those service members have been evacuated to higher care facilities outside of CENTCOM’s area of responsibility (AOR).
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 13, 2023
The U.S. has deployed forces in Syria since 2015 in an effort to support and advise the Kurdish-led Democratic forces within the country who have been waging a war against ISIS. Though ISIS was essentially defeated in the country since 2019, U.S. troops are still actively working to prevent any resurgence of the terrorist organization, CBS News reported.
U.S. troops are still vulnerable to attacks carried out by ISIS members and fighters backed by Iran within the country with a drone attack in March killing a contractor and wounding five American troops and another contractor. In retaliation for that attack, the U.S military sent fighter jets to strike several locations around the eastern province of Deir-el-Zour. (RELATED: Pentagon Reveals More Casualties From Syrian Airstrikes)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that the retaliatory strikes sent by American forces killed six Iranian-backed militants at an armory facility near Deir el-Zour and two additional fighters near Mayadeen. Another group, Deer Ezzor 24, has claimed the American airstrikes killed four people and wounded others, including Iraqis, The AP reported at the time.
Though a violent conflict in Syria has been on-going for more than a decade, CENTCOM reported that the helicopter mishap was not the result of enemy fire.