Last Updated:
According to a report by The New York Times, the change was made after the Pentagon updated its casualty website on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth salute as a US Army carry team carries the flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of Sgt. Swinton was killed in action on July 19 in Iraq. (AFP photo)
The US Department of Defence has reduced the official American death toll from the Iran war from 18 to 14, removing four service members who were killed during the latest round of fighting with Iran over the weekend.
According to a report by The New York Timesthe change was made after the Pentagon updated its casualty website on Thursday.
The newspaper, citing three military officials, reported that the four troops were removed from the official war death toll because they were killed after US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire with Iran in April.
Four Troops Removed From Official Count
The four service members removed from the total include 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, who were killed in an Iranian ballistic missile strike in Jordan last week. Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, who died during the controlled demolition of an Iranian one-way attack drone in Iraq, was also removed from the count.
The military officials, who spoke to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, said the decision was linked to the timing of their deaths after the ceasefire declaration.
However, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez denied that explanation. He said the change was caused by “temporary data disruptions” on the department’s casualty website and called the revised figures as “site anomalies” that were being corrected.
Questions Over Casualty Reporting
The report said the Pentagon has released limited information about the conflict since the ceasefire collapsed. It has also been slow to provide updates on injuries suffered by American troops, citing operational security.
According to the report, the Pentagon did not publicly disclose three Iranian strikes in Jordan last week that injured dozens of US service members and damaged several helicopters.
The latest revision has also renewed debate over military casualty reporting. While the Defence Department is legally required to report troop deaths, it is not required to release figures on injuries.
Despite the revised official total, Trump continued to refer to 18 American military deaths while speaking on Thursday. He also honoured the four fallen troops during the return of their remains to Dover Air Force Base, calling them “great heroes”.
The Pentagon updated its casualty website on Thursday, reducing the official American death toll from the Iran war from 18 to 14 by removing four service members killed after a ceasefire was declared in April.
About the Author
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, …Read More
United States of America (USA)
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
