Biden: “Gathering facts about the attack… “I will never forget your sacrifice.”
An American soldier was killed in an attack by a pro-Iranian militia on the Syrian border in northeastern Jordan. This is the first time that a U.S. soldier has died in the Middle East since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement on the 28th (local time), saying, “There was a drone attack on our troops stationed in the Syrian border area of northeastern Jordan last night, killing three U.S. soldiers and injuring several others.”
In the Middle East, attacks have continued against US troops stationed in the region since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas. It was mainly assessed as the work of an Iranian-backed armed group.
President Biden raised his voice, saying, “We are still gathering the facts of the attack,” but added, “We know that this was the work of extreme militias supported by Iran and active in Syria and Iraq.”
He praised the courage and dedication of the soldiers who died in the fight against terrorism, saying, “I am heartbroken by the deaths of our fighters as a result of this cowardly and completely unjust attack.” He continued, “This is our fight that will not stop.”
President Biden said, “The three American soldiers we lost were the greatest patriots,” and “Our nation will never forget their decisive sacrifice.” He continued, “We will uphold our sacred duty to their bereaved families and protect their honor and courage.”
“We will continue their commitment to fighting terrorism,” he said, adding, “Without a doubt, we will hold accountable those involved in this, when and how we chose.”
According to American media such as CNN, this incident was the first death of a US soldier in the Middle East since the war in Gaza that began with a surprise attack by Hamas in October last year. The United States and the West have been wary of the conflict spreading throughout the Middle East due to Iran’s intervention.
According to reports, the attack occurred at Tower 22, a small military base near the Syrian border. U.S. troops at the base have been assigned to provide advice and support in Jordan. The U.S. Central Command reported that this attack was carried out using a one-way attack drone.
CNN reported that the base’s air defense system failed to intercept the drone at the time of the attack, and the reason is unclear. Central Command said that in accordance with Ministry of National Defense policy, the disclosure of the identities of the dead and injured will be withheld for 24 hours.
In addition to the dead, the Central Command initially counted 25 injured, but local U.S. media later reported, citing officials, that there were more than 30 injured. He also said that the injured people were receiving treatment for symptoms of traumatic brain injury.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.