MOSCOW – Tensions flared again in the Middle East, after the Trumpadministration on 3 January assassinated top Iranian commander QasemSoleimani in Baghdad, prompting Iran to fire missiles towards two Iraqibases hosting US troops; in Erbil and near the Iraqi capital on 8 January.The Pentagon initially denied any casualties from the attack.
Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmedearlier reports that 11 US servicemen were injured as a result of theattack that took place on 8 January. The servicemen were treated forconcussion symptoms – 8 have been transported to Landstuhl Regional MedicalCentre in Germany, and three more to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
Earlier in the day, Defense One reported, citing US military commandspokesman Col. Myles Caggins, that 11 American soldiers were airlifted toKuwait and Germany after the attacks for treatment of various traumatichead injuries.
“Out of an abundance of caution, some service members were transported fromAl Asad Air Base, Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center inGermany, others were sent to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, for follow-on screening[…] When deemed fit for duty, the service members are expected to returnto Iraq following screening. The health and welfare of our personnel is atop priority and we will not discuss any individual’s medical status”,Caggins said, cited by Defense One.
An unnamed official said, according to Defense One, that some of thehospitalized soldiers may have suffered concussions during the Iranianstrikes.
“About a week after the attack some service members were still experiencingsome symptoms of concussion […] We only got wind of this in the last 24hours”, the official said.
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On 5 January, the Iraqi parliament approved a resolution that demanded theimmediate and complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, in protestover the US drone attack that killed Soleimani. Iraqi Lawmakers voted thatthe assassination had violated the nation’s sovereignty, and the country’sgovernment filed a complaint to the UN Security Council. Iraniansretaliated by attacking two military bases hosting American troops in Iraqwith ballistic missiles.
American officials have repeatedly ruled out a complete pullback from Iraq.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that he perfers slowly scalingdown US forces in the country, now estimated at around 5,000-6,000 “to theextent we can use less American treasure and put fewer American lives atrisk we ought to do that”.
Pompeo suggested that he took some dozens of phone calls with various Iraqisenior officials who, privately, continue to welcome the American militarypresence in their country, Sputnik has reported.
