US Army’s Drones and Missiles Falling into Foreign Hands in Syria and Iraq
US Military Equipment Disappears in Iraq and Syria
According to a report by The Intercept, based on criminal investigation files of US institutions, several incidents of theft of weapons and equipment belonging to the US army have taken place in Iraq and Syria. The investigations, which were not disclosed to the public, began in early 2023 and revealed that a significant amount of military equipment, including guided missile launch systems and drones, were stolen in Iraq.
One incident reported that 13 commercial drones worth approximately $162,500 were stolen from a US base in Erbil, Iraq, in 2022, with no suspect being identified. Another investigation found that sensitive weapons and equipment, including targeting scopes and launch units for Javelin missiles, were stolen at or en route to Forward Operating Base in Baghdad, Iraq. The files state that no known US personnel were involved in the thefts, but Iraqi criminal organizations and militia groups were suspected of targeting convoys and containers for weapons and equipment due to a lack of security.
The Intercept also reported that at least four thefts occurred in Iraq and Syria in 2020-2022, including grenades, rounds, field artillery vehicles, and unspecified weapon systems, with 1 weapon and equipment being lost in the incident. It was further revealed that the Special Operations Joint Task Force, the unit working with US partners in Syria, did not properly account for the $715.8 million military equipment purchased for the terrorist organization PKK/YPG, according to an audit conducted in 2020.
The US units in charge in the regions where the thefts occurred have not made any statement about the incidents. These revelations raise concerns about the security of US military equipment in the region and the potential implications of such thefts.
