Last week, a series of drone and rocket attacks on coalition military bases in Iraq and Syria resulted in 21 US service members reporting "minor injuries," as confirmed by the Pentagon.
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder announced on Wednesday that between October 17 and 18 (ET), 21 US personnel suffered minor injuries due to the drone attacks that occurred at Al Assad Airbase in Iraq and Al-Tanf Garrison in Syria. He added, "All members have since returned to duty."
While all affected personnel have resumed their duties, defense officials revealed that several individuals are still under observation for potential side effects or injuries. The count of injured personnel has increased as more US troops have reported symptoms in the days following the attacks.
Ryder emphasized the possibility that some service members may report injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, several days after the attacks take place, which could lead to changes in the reported numbers. The Pentagon remains in close coordination with US Central Command to provide necessary updates as the situation evolves.
Earlier reports from CNN had indicated that multiple troops had suffered minor injuries as a result of the attacks, although the precise number was initially unclear.