NEW YORK, Jan 17 (APP):The U.S. military said Thursday that 11 American soldiers were injured in an Iranian missile attack on two bases in Iraq earlier this month, despite Washington’s initial claim denying casualties.
The January 8 attack on bases near Baghdad and Erbil, Iraq, were launched in retaliation for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, a senior figure in Iran’s military, in a drone strike ordered by US president Donald Trump.
“While no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad Air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed,” Capt. Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
“As a standard procedure, all personnel in the vicinity of a blast are screened for traumatic brain injury, and if deemed appropriate are transported to a higher level of care,” Urban explained.
In a speech, President Trump had said that no Americans were hurt in the strike, in which at least a dozen missiles were fired. “I’m pleased to inform you the American people should be extremely grateful and happy,” the president said on Jan. 8. “No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime.”
In the days following the attack, some service members were transported from Al Asad Air Base in Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, while others were sent to Camp Arifja in Kuwait for precautionary follow-on screening, he added.
“At this time, eight individuals have been transported to Landstuhl, and three have been transported to Camp Arifjan,” the spokesman added.
