Four U.S. military members have died after sustaining injuries during a November Afghanistan IED attack on a U.S. vehicle.

The Afghanistan IED attack occurred on Nov. 27 when an improvised explosive device struck a U.S. vehicle near Ghazni, Afghanistan. An Army Captain, an Army Sergeant 1st Class, and an Air Force Staff Sergeant were killed instantly during the Afghanistan IED attack, and another Army Sergeant passed away days later after succumbing to his injuries in Germany where he was receiving treatment.

This makes the Afghanistan IED attack the most deadly attack against U.S. service members in the country in many years. The Taliban has reportedly taken responsibility for the attack, according to CNN.

Afghanistan IED Attack Info

IEDs, or improvised explosive devices, are a serious threat to service members in Afghanistan. These explosives are triggered by a detonating mechanism and are often used as roadside bombs. They have been widely used through both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, with countless soldiers being injured or killed in relation to an Afghanistan IED attack.

From the beginning of the Iraq War through 2007, it is estimated that IEDs were used in 63 percent of coalition deaths. Similar figures represent IED related deaths in the Afghanistan War, with 66 percent of deaths linked to an Afghanistan IED attack between 2001 and the present.

EFPs, or explosively formed penetrators, are other deadly explosives used against service members. These weapons are capable of piercing armor from as far as 100 yards away. This means that they are able to be easily hidden from view off of the road while still posing a threat.

Iran’s Role

In 2006, The Telegraph (a British newspaper) reported that explosives such as IEDs and EFPs were being mass produced in Iran and then used in Iraq against U.S. forces.

In 2011, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, confirmed to the public that explosives used to kill American soldiers were being produced in Iran – a scheme which top Iranian government officials were allegedly aware of.

“Iran is very directly supporting extremist Shia groups, which are killing our troops,” Mullen said. “They are shipping high-tech weapons in there—RAMS, EFPs—which are killing our people and the forensics prove that.”

However, sanctions had been put in place against Iran in order to prevent the country from sponsoring terrorism in Iraq. These sanctions restricted the country’s ability to obtain funding which was required to mass produce explosive devices.

The country was able to circumvent U.S. sanctions by working with banks who were allegedly willing to break U.S. law by helping Iran encourage terrorism. Banks allegedly involved in the scheme include HSBC of UK, BNP Paribas of France, and Germany’s Commerzbank.

Victim Compensation

Luckily for Afghanistan IED attack victims and their families, there are avenues available to recover compensation. Individuals may be able to file a lawsuit under the Anti-Terrorism Act and recover threefold the damages they sustained as a result of international terrorism. Banks involved with Iran’s weapon production have already faced fines by the U.S. government, but private citizens may be able to seek further damages.

If you or a loved one was injured or killed by an IED or EFP while fighting in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, legal recourse is available. Get help now by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or anti-terrorist class action lawsuit is best for you. (In general, anti-terrorist lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.) After you fill out the form, the attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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