Helicopter Accident in Syria Injures 22 US Service Members, Investigation Underway

Over the weekend, 22 US service members were injured in a helicopter accident in northeastern Syria, the US military confirmed on Tuesday. The cause of the accident remains under investigation, with the military explicitly stating that no enemy fire was involved.

Injured service members are currently receiving treatment, with 10 having been transferred to more advanced care facilities outside the region. A spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish forces, backed by the US, has yet to comment on the incident.

Approximately 900 US forces are stationed in Syria, in addition to an undisclosed number of contractors. US forces have been present since 2015, primarily to aid the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their battle against the Islamic State (IS).

Despite the defeat of the jihadist group in Syria in 2019, US troops continue to work on preventing a resurgence of IS, which still poses a threat from sleeper cells. Previous IS attacks on US troops and Iran-backed fighters have been reported, escalating tensions in the region.