NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Wednesday that four US soldiers, who had gone missing during military training exercises in Lithuania, were found dead. Rutte made this announcement while visiting Warsaw, Poland.
While addressing the press, Rutte stated, “While I was speaking, the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania.” Earlier, Lithuania’s military had initiated a search operation for the soldiers, who were reported missing on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a statement from the US Army, the soldiers were engaged in training exercises near the Belarus border at the time they went missing. “The soldiers, all from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training when the incident occurred,” the statement elaborated.
The tragic news has been confirmed by both the US military command in Europe and Lithuania’s armed forces. Search and rescue efforts involved air force helicopters, with assistance from Lithuanian border guard agents.
Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, commander of the V Corps, expressed gratitude towards the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders, stating, “I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian armed forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations.”
Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, hosts over 1,000 American troops on a rotational basis as part of the alliance’s commitment to regional security.
Source : DW
