Twenty-two US servicemembers injured in helicopter ‘mishap’ in Syria
Conrad Hoyt
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Twenty-two United States servicemembers were injured in a helicopter “mishap” in northeastern Syria on Sunday, the U.S. Central Command announced late Monday.
The servicemembers are receiving treatment for their injuries, of which there are varying degrees of severity. Ten of them have been evacuated to higher care facilities outside of the CENTCOM area of responsibility, the command said.
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Central Command, which oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East, added that no enemy fire was reported, and the cause of the “mishap” is under investigation.
The U.S. maintains a military presence in Syria to keep an eye on Iran and prevent any comeback by the Islamic State group. CENTCOM has come under scrutiny, however, for strikes that have killed civilians in the country.
Central Command said last week that in May, it and its partner forces carried out 17 operations in Syria that killed two Islamic State operatives and helped detain 20 others.
“Despite their degraded capability, ISIS remains a significant threat within the region,” said Gen. Michael Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. “CENTCOM, along with our partners, is committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS.”
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American troops have been in Syria since 2015, according to the Military Times, which added that, on any given day, there are at least 900 U.S. forces in the Middle Eastern country, along with a number of contractors and U.S. special operations forces.