Twenty-three US troops suffered traumatic brain injury in Syria, military says

Washington (Reuters) – Twenty-three U.S. troops in Syria suffered traumatic brain injuries during two attacks in March by Iran-backed militants, the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said on Friday.

“We have identified 11 additional cases of mild Traumatic Brain Injury from the March 23rd and 24th attacks in eastern Syria,” it said in a statement. “Twenty-three of those wounded and assessed as mTBI cases. Our medical teams continue to assess and evaluate our troops for indications of mTBI.”

Twenty-five U.S. troops were wounded as a result of the strikes and counter-strikes in Syria, which also killed an American contractor and injured another.

The Pentagon estimated eight militants were killed during retaliatory U.S. air strikes against two Iran-linked facilities in Syria.

It is not the first time U.S. troops in the region have been diagnosed with brain injuries from attacks.

In 2020, more than 100 U.S. troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries stemming from a missile attack by Iran against a base in Iraq.