Helicopter Accident in Northeastern Syria Leaves 22 American Service Members Injured
A helicopter accident occurred over the weekend in northeastern Syria, resulting in injuries to 22 American service members, according to a statement released by the U.S. military on Monday. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, and there was no involvement of enemy fire.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 13, 2023
The injured service members are currently receiving treatment, with ten of them being transferred to "higher care facilities" outside the region. U.S. Central Command confirmed that no enemy fire was reported but did not provide further details about the severity of the injuries or the circumstances surrounding the mishap.
The incident took place near the town of Shaddadi in the province of Hasakeh, as reported by security sources. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control parts of northeast Syria, referred all questions to the U.S.-led coalition responsible for American troop deployment in the area.
General Mazloum Abdi, commander in chief of the SDF, expressed well wishes for the swift recovery of the injured personnel in a statement, reaffirming their commitment to working with the coalition against ISIS to ensure regional stability.
We wish a speedy recovery for the wounded of the crashed #US helicopter in #NE_Syria.
— Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) June 13, 2023
We assure our commitment to continue working with our partners from the @coalition against #ISIS to ensure the stability of the region. @CENTCOM
Neither the autonomous Kurdish-led administration nor the central Syrian government in Damascus has responded to requests for comment at the time of this report.
With approximately 900 U.S. forces deployed in Syria on average, alongside undisclosed numbers of contractors, the mission primarily focuses on combating the remnants of the Islamic State. Over the past years, U.S. forces in Syria have faced repeated attacks from Iran-backed fighters.
The initial deployment of U.S. forces in Syria occurred during the Obama administration's campaign against the Islamic State, where they partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group.
Although the Islamic State's influence has significantly diminished since its declaration of a caliphate in 2014, hundreds of fighters remain in remote areas that neither the U.S.-led coalition nor the Syrian army, supported by Russia and Iranian-backed militias, fully control.
The U.S. military has not provided further information about the incident, and requests for additional details from U.S. Central Command have gone unanswered.
