This Image Does Not Show Three U.S. Troops Killed in the Jordan Base Attack
The Claim
The picture is of three American who were killed in a drone attack by the resistance on the American base in Syria -Jordan border.
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Emerging story
Many social media accounts have been circulating an image depicting the three American soldiers killed in the attack on the U.S. base in the Northern Borders of Jordan with Syria.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be misleading. The image depicts three American soldiers who were shot by a Jordanian soldier in 2016.
Three American Soldiers Were Killed in an Exchange of Fire in Jordan in 2016
In 2016, three American soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire outside the King Faisal airbase near Al-Jafr. The soldiers failed to acknowledge instructions to halt their vehicle before entering, leading to their shooting inside the car. One soldier died instantly, while the other two suffered severe injuries and later died in the King Hussein Hospital. In addition to the U.S. soldiers' casualties, one Jordanian officer, 1st Sgt. Marik Al-Tuwayh, was wounded. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 by a Jordanian military court, claiming the Americans failed to comply with orders, and he believed the base was under attack. The three American soldiers killed were Matthew C. Lewellen (27 years), Kevin J. McEnroe (30 years old), and James F. Moriarty (27 years).
The Recent Attack on the U.S. Base in Jordan
On January 18, 2024, the American Tower 22 base, located in northwestern Jordan, was bombed in a drone attack, resulting in the deaths of three American soldiers and injuries to more than 40 others. Another drone, dispatched from the base, was expected to return at the same time, creating uncertainty and confusion that allowed the attacking drone to reach the base. President Joe Biden blamed Iran-backed militia groups for the attack.
The three soldiers were identified as William Rivers (46 years), Kennedy Sanders (24 years), and Breonna Moffett (23 years), and their images have recently been published on many official websites. While the Jordanian government stated that the attack on the base occurred outside Jordanian territory, the Pentagon asserts the opposite.
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