
The War Department of USA identified this Saturday the six soldiers who lost their lives last Thursday when their KC-135 plane crashed in western Iraqin the midst of the work to support the US and Israel’s ‘Epic Fury’ operation against Iran.
The crash, which the U.S. called an accident while Iran and allied Iraqi militias attribute it to a missile strike, killed Major John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Captain Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, and Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.
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The three uniformed men belonged to the Sixth Air Refueling Wing, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, which also houses the Army Central Command (Centcom).
Also killed were Captain Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio, and Technical Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio; assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.
According to what was reported by the Pentagon After the incident, it occurred “in allied airspace” and? “It was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire”.
On Friday, an Iranian spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Unified Operations Command reported that the US plane was “hit by a missile from resistance groups in western Iraq”which caused it to crash and everyone on board to die, in statements cited by the Fars agency.
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Later, the Revolutionary Guard assured that the impact occurred while the tanker plane was supplying another combat plane. “enemy”which made an emergency landing in “one of the enemy’s airports”while its crew was saved, according to Iran.
With the death of these soldiers there are now fourteen soldiers of USA deceased since the beginning of the war against Iran On February 28, seven were killed directly by Iranian attacks, one more by a “medical emergency” in Kuwait and the rest in this incident in Iraq.
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