--- title: "Airman arrested in connection to insider attack on US base in Syria" description: "A member of the U.S. Air Force has been arrested in connection to explosions at a base in Syria that injured four American troops in April." date: "2022-06-21" modified: "2022-06-21" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "YouTube Writer/Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/syria-insider-attack-green-village/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Around the World" - "Middle East" - "Military Branches" - "News" --- # Airman arrested in connection to insider attack on US base in Syria ![syria]() *A soldier from 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, pulls security for his team in Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, Oct. 27, 2020. (Spc. Jensen Guillory / U.S. Army)* A uniformed member of the U.S. Air Force has been arrested as part of an investigation into explosions at an American base in northern Syria that injured four American troops in April, CNN first[ reported]() on Tuesday. The news follows a report[ earlier this month]() that the explosions, initially thought to be caused by a mortar or rocket strike launched from outside the base, were actually caused by explosive charges deliberately placed within the base. The discovery prompted the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to look into the incident, suspecting it to be an insider attack. “As part of an ongoing investigation, on June 16, an airman was taken into custody stateside in conjunction with the attack in Green Village, Syria,” Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told CNN. “After reviewing the information in the investigation, the airman’s commander made the decision to place him in pretrial confinement.” The airman has not yet been charged, Stefanek said. Until that happens, the Pentagon cannot disclose the airman’s name. The spokesperson estimated that charges will be filed “within the next few weeks,” she told CNN. The airman in question is currently back in the U.S., according to [reports]() earlier this month. [**Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today**]()**. Get the latest in military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily.** Earlier this spring, officials said the explosions occurred in the middle of the night at an ammunition holding area and shower facility. The explosions were more powerful than that of a hand grenade, they said. CNN also reported that security footage from the attack showed two instances of a person moving quickly, though it’s unclear if the two images show the same person or what they were trying to do. The four injured Americans were diagnosed and treated for traumatic brain injuries and returned to duty later in April, according to CNN. Should the airman be charged and convicted of having carried out the attack, it would be a major break from previous insider attacks, which often involved [foreign partner forces firing on American military members]() or other friendly forces. There was a steep increase in insider attacks, referred to as “green-on-blue” attacks, around 2011 in Afghanistan, as Task & Purpose [previously reported](). The attacks accounted for roughly 15% of combat deaths in 2012. Years later, [2019 was identified]() as the “deadliest year on record” for insider attacks, according to a report from the State Department inspector general for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, resulting in 257 total Afghan casualties. The IG pinned those attacks on Afghan soldiers and “Taliban infiltrators.” By 2021, the number of insider attacks had begun to drop, and the lead inspector general for the war in Afghanistan said [there had been no]() insider attacks or casualties from such attacks among U.S. and coalition forces at the end of 2020. Intentional friendly fire is not entirely new to the U.S. military. In 2005, Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez, an Army National Guard soldier, was accused of detonating three hand grenades and a Claymore mine with the intent to murder two officers in the unit, Capt. Phillip Esposito and 1st Lt. Louis Allen. He was ultimately [found not guilty](). An attack in 2003 involved a soldier with the 101t Airborne Division, who was accused of throwing three grenades into “three tents housing commanding officers,” CNN [reported at the time](). The attack killed Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert, 27, and Maj. Gregory Stone, 40, according to [The New York Times](), and wounded over a dozen others. The soldier, Sgt. Hasan Akbar was found guilty of premeditated murder and attempted murder in 2005. The Biden administration maintains [around 900 troops in Syria](), including special operations forces to advise and assist Syrian Democratic Forces. ## The latest on Task & Purpose - [**‘Mad Max’-style technicals**]() **have become a staple of Ukraine’s fight against Russia** - **The** [**difference between Air Force and Navy pilots**]() **in one short video** - **Watch the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ film crew get** [**buzzed by an F/A-18 during filming**]() - **Three Navy commanders** [**relieved of duty**]() **in the past week** - [**Hollywood has spent $16 million**]() **training Chris Pratt for war** **Want to write for Task & Purpose?**[ **Click here**]()**. Or check out the latest stories on**[ **our homepage.**]() ## Author David Roza writes scripts about military news for the Task & Purpose YouTube channel, and he also writes articles about military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and other personnel topics on a freelance basis. Roza previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025. In the course of that reporting, he has set off a ‘Hollywood explosion’ with Air Force bomb techs, turned the (unarmed) keys of a nuclear missile bunker, hovered over the Nevada desert on an Air Force rescue helicopter, and got the best sleep of his life on the floor of a C-17 over the central Pacific. Share tips and story ideas with David at [david.roza@teamrecurrent.io]()