Three American soldiers were killed and 40 more troops injured in a drone attack at a U.S. base in Jordan over the weekend. The three Army Reservists were identified as Sgt. William Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett. All three were part of the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, based at Fort Moore, Georgia. Rivers and Sanders had previously been deployed to Iraq and Djibouti, while Moffett was on her first deployment.
The attack occurred when an unmanned aerial system crashed into the container units the soldiers were using for housing at the Tower 22 installation. It is unclear why the troops were in their housing unit rather than in a shelter, which is the standard response to enemy fire. A Pentagon spokesperson, however, noted that the late hour of the attack meant many troops were asleep at the time.
The Tower 22 base is located in the northeastern corner of Jordan, just a few hundred yards from the Syrian border and minutes from the border with Iraq. Air defense troops at the base may have mistakenly identified the incoming drone as a friendly aircraft. U.S. troops in the region have been attacked 165 times in the last three months, making security a major concern for military officials.
The attack marks a troubling escalation in the use of drones as a means of attack. Drones are becoming an increasingly popular tool for terrorism and military conflicts around the world. The high degree of autonomy in these devices makes it relatively easy for non-state actors to use them against their enemies. U.S. military officials have expressed concerns over the growing use of drones and their ability to cause significant destruction with minimal risk to the attacker.
In response to the attack, military commanders are reviewing security protocols at all U.S. installations in the region. The military is also working to better understand how the attack was carried out and who may have been responsible for it. The use of drones in conflict is a new and rapidly evolving field, and military officials are still developing strategies to counter them effectively.
The families of the three soldiers killed in the attack have been notified, and the Army Reserve is providing support to their loved ones during this difficult time.