The Pentagon has removed four American troops killed during renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran from the official war death toll and placed them in a new category called “Overseas Operations”.

Background

The U.S. and Iran have been engaged in a conflict that started on February 28, with 14 troops killed in the initial waves of fighting. A ceasefire was agreed upon in April, but it was short-lived as Iran struck three merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, prompting American forces to launch strikes in response.

The new “Overseas Operations” category lists casualties starting July 7 and includes the four Army deaths by name as well as 207 wounded. However, it is unclear if all of the wounded were injured in the Iran conflict.

Transparency Concerns

The Pentagon’s decision to revise the casualty count has raised questions about transparency and the commitment to providing accurate information about the conflict. The Defense Casualty Analysis System, which is the definitive source on the numbers of dead and wounded from the conflict, had previously reported the war’s official toll as 18 killed and 482 wounded.

Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez argued that the drop in casualty figures was not an effort to hide the growing human toll of the war but rather the result of “anomalies” and “temporary data disruptions” that were being resolved “imminently.” However, the lack of clear information and consistent reporting has led to concerns about the accuracy of the casualty count.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.