NATO director provokes confusion on ‘dead’ American troops
(MENAFN) Four US Army soldiers went missing during a training exercise in Lithuania near the Belarusian border on Tuesday, and their fate remains unconfirmed by the Pentagon. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sparked confusion by expressing condolences for the soldiers' deaths, even though their status had not been officially confirmed.
The soldiers, part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia, were participating in a "scheduled tactical training" exercise at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in Pabrade when they disappeared. A large-scale search operation was launched, and later updates from the US Army revealed that the armored vehicle they were operating had been found submerged in water, but the soldiers have not yet been located. The Lithuanian Armed Forces emphasized there was no evidence to confirm the soldiers' deaths.
Rutte’s comments, stating "our thoughts are with the families and loved ones," led to confusion, as NATO later clarified that he was referencing news reports, not confirming the soldiers' deaths. The US military continues to search for the missing troops.
The US has about 1,000 military personnel stationed in Lithuania as part of NATO's increased presence in the Baltics since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. NATO has also stepped up exercises near Russia and Belarus, further heightening tensions in the region.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
