The United States military disclosed a more than 50 percent jump in cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran's missile attack on a base in Iraq last month, with the number of service members diagnosed climbing to over 100.
No US troops were killed or faced immediate bodily injury when Iran fired missiles at the Ain al-Assad base in Iraq in retaliation for the US martyr of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at the Baghdad airport on January 3.
The figure is a significant increase from the 64 injured service members previously reported by the Pentagon.
President Donald Trump initially said no Americans were injured in the raid.
All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020
Read More: TRUMP SAYS 'ALL IS WELL' AFTER ZARIF TWEETS IRAN TARGETED BASE IN 'SELF-DEFENSE'
The attack on 8 January came amid tensions over the US martyr of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
The rising number of reported cases results from the mild form of injury which means symptoms take time to manifest, the Pentagon said in a press conference in January.
US Republican lawmaker Joni Ernst called for more answers on Monday.
Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last month that the service members suffering from traumatic brain injuries had been diagnosed with mild cases. He added that the diagnosis could change as time passed.
Symptoms of concussive injuries include headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and nausea.
On the other hand Pentagon officials have repeatedly said there has been no effort to minimise or delay information on concussive injuries. But the disclosures following Tehran's attack have renewed questions over the US military's policy regarding how it internally reports suspected brain injuries and whether they are treated publicly with the same urgency as loss of limb or life.
SOURCE: BBC News
