AhlulBayt News Agency - Four U.S. military troops were wounded in Syria earlier this month.
The June 9 attack occurred when an anti-tank round blew up a vehicle situated close to the troops, defense officials said, and the attackers are believed to be connected to ISIS. The Pentagon has not yet publicly addressed the incident.
The advisers returned to duty after recovering from light shrapnel injuries.
While defense officials suspect ISIS is responsible for the attack, they are uncertain of the assailants’ identity.
Agence France-Presse published photos last month purporting to show U.S. special operations forces on Syria’s frontlines. The troops were seen climbing onto a rooftop “carrying U.S.-made anti-tank missiles,” according to the report.
The Pentagon denied that the forces were on a combat mission.
American troops have been wounded or killed in Iraq or Syria at least five other times after coming under enemy fire while “training and assisting” forces supported by the United States, according to CNN.
Reports by the Pentagon show that so far three American forces have been killed in Iraq and Syria, while 16 others have been wounded since President Barack Obama authorized the first deployment of US military forces back to Iraq in June 2014.
Pentagon statistics also show that 15 US troops have been killed in non-combat situations as part of the so-called US-led coalition’s military effort against the terror group.
Washington has deployed dozens of US forces to Iraq and Syria in what it claims is an effort to shore up local militant groups against Daesh.
US officials have so far maintained that the forces on the ground are prohibited under the rules of engagement to conduct offensive military operations.
There are also dozens of US special operations forces in Syria, who are working closely with a collection of various armed groups that are trying to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The US has also been supplying the militants with ammunition.
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