34 US troops in Iraq diagnosed with traumatic brain injury

The Pentagon said yesterday that 34 service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury following missile strikes by Iran on a base in Iraq earlier this month, a number higher than the military had previously announced.

President Donald Trump and other top officials initially said Iran’s attack had not killed or injured any US service members.

Last week the US military said 11 of its troops had been treated for concussion symptoms after the attack on the Ain Al Asad airbase in western Iraq and this week said additional troops had been moved out of Iraq with suspected injuries.

Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters that 17 of the service members diagnosed had already returned to duty in Iraq.

Eight service members who had been previously transported to Germany had been moved to the United States and would receive treatment at either Walter Reed military hospital or their home bases.

Mr Hoffman said the service members were being treated on an outpatient basis and were transported back to the United States in order to be closer to their pre-deployment bases.

Nine service members remain in Germany and are undergoing evaluations and treatment.