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Air Force charges airman in Syria base explosion from April

Aug 4, 2022 | 10:03 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force has filed criminal charges against an airman in connection with an April explosion that injured U.S. troops at a base in eastern Syria.

Tech. Sgt. David D. Dezwaan Jr. is facing several criminal charges including dereliction of duty, destroying military property, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault in the blast that injured four service members. He has been held in confinement by the Air Force since June.

The U.S. military initially reported that the injuries were caused by artillery or another form of indirect fire. But the Pentagon later said the April 7 attack was carried out by the “deliberate placement of explosive charges” by one or more individuals at an ammunition holding area and shower facility on the base, known as Green Village.