The number of US servicemen, who have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) after the Iranian attack on US bases in Iraq, has increased to 64, the Department of Defence said.
“As of today, 64 US service members have been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury, or TBI. 14 additional service members have been diagnosed with TBI since the previous report,” the department said in a statement on late Thursday.
According to the Pentagon, 39 servicemen with TBI have already returned to duty.
“We’ll continue to monitor them the rest of their lives, actually, and continue to provide whatever treatment is necessary.
“And we take great pride in the fact that these are our own and we’re going to take care of them,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said, as quoted by the statement.
Earlier this week, the Defence Department said 50 US troops had been diagnosed with TBI after Iran’s ballistic missile attack on January 8 on two Iraqi bases that house US troops.
On January 8, Iran launched 16 missiles at the Erbil and al-Asad airbases in Iraq, following a US airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on January 3.