Pentagon Denies Manipulating US Troop Death Toll, Blames 'Temporary Data Glitch'

Washington (ANTARA) - US Department of Defence Spokesman Sean Parnell on Friday denied media reports claiming that the number of American soldier deaths on the Pentagon website had been reduced for reasons other than a temporary data disruption.

On Thursday (23 July), The New York Times reported that the number of US soldier deaths listed on the Pentagon website had suddenly dropped from 18 to 14.

According to the newspaper, one possible reason was that the administration of US President Donald Trump removed the names of four soldiers killed last weekend because their deaths occurred after Trump announced a ceasefire in the middle of the conflict with Iran last April.

“This is one of the worst examples of the fake news media industry, fabricating lies without any reason whatsoever, except to cause concern among the American people. Our Press Office has contacted The New York Times by telephone, informally, to explain in detail that the error on the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) website was caused by a temporary data disruption,” Parnell wrote on the X platform.

He added that the Pentagon is working with the US military to resolve the issue.

Since 8 July, the US military has carried out a series of attacks against Iran, with Trump stating that the ceasefire no longer applies.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were a response to Iran’s actions against commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian military retaliated by launching attacks on several US bases located in a number of Middle Eastern countries. Iran also accused the United States of violating the ceasefire.