


A female US soldier from Georgia who was affectionately known as “Munchkin’’ was identified Monday as one of the three American service members killed in the terrorist drone strike in Jordan.
Family members of Army Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders of Waycross said she was among those slain in the Saturday night attack by Iranian-backed militants on a small outpost near the Syrian border.
“Our family would like to thank you for the respect given to Kennedy. Munchkin will be missed by many,” family member Shawn Sanders wrote on Facebook.
Flags in Waycross were flying at half-staff Monday, the family said — and Mayor Michael-Angelo James plans to hold an honorary service when her body is returned home, WTOC reported.
The weekend assault happened at a remote base in northeastern Jordan and marked the first American fatalities from enemy fire in the region since US troops were placed on high alert after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
The drone assault also was the deadliest attack on US troops in the Middle East since an ISIS bomb killed four American soldiers in 2019.
President Biden was quick to blame Iran, which also backs Hamas, for the attacks — and vowed that the US would “respond.
“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iran,” the president said after the strike.

About 34 American service members also were injured, with an unknown number of them identified as members of the Arizona National Guard, who have been deployed in Jordan since September, according to FOX 10.
“Arizona National Guardsmen were identified to be in the area during the January 27th unmanned aerial drone attack in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border,” the Arizona National Guard said in a statement.
“Facts of this attack are still being collected and it is unknown at this time how many Arizona service members were impacted.”