BY CHRIS McDANIEL
KAWC NEWS
YUMA – The Director of Communications for the Arizona National Guard has confirmed some soldiers wounded during a January 28th drone attack in Jordan are residents of La Paz and Yuma Counties.
All serve with 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the “Bushmasters.”
Captain Erin Hannigan made the confirmation to KAWC News via email, but can neither confirm the total number wounded, nor if their wounds are considered as serious or life-threatening.
The identities of those wounded in the attack have not been released to the public, in accordance with National Guard policy. All are expected to survive.
There have been no reported Arizona National Guard deaths.
Army officials say, the attack happened January 28th – carried out by an unmanned aerial attack drone in northeast Jordan, near the Syrian border.
Pentagon officials have linked the attack to an enemy unit with ties to Iran. Iran has denied any role in the attack on the US base.
White House and U.S. Central Command officials say, the attack happened at the logistics support base, referred to as Tower 22.
Military officials say, there are about 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel stationed at Tower 22. They are there to combat ISIS.
The Associated Press reports, three National Guard soldiers from Georgia were killed during the drone attack.
In response to the attack, President Joe Biden green-lit about 85 retaliatory strikes at seven locations across Syria and Iraq, according to BBC.
More U.S. attacks are expected.
At least 16 people, including civilians, were killed as a result of the U.S. airstrikes, Iraqi officials have said.
U.S. Central Command reports the airstrikes involved more than 125 "precision munitions" targeting command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, missiles, and locations where unmanned attack drones are stored. The locations are attributed as being operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.
Several US aircraft were involved, including long-range bombers that flew over from the US, according to BBC.
To date, here have been no reported American strikes on Iranian soil.
The governments of both Iraq and Syria have denounced the American attacks.
Chris McDaniel can be reached at 928-317-6077 or christopher.mcdaniel@kawc.org.