havana syndrome veil expands with recent cases at u s embassy in colombia

u.s. embassy personnel in bogota, colombia, possess reported symptoms aligned with the unaccountable “havana syndrome” that continues to plague u.s. spies and diplomats environing the globe.

u.s. officials said tuesday that two cases were initially reported by embassy personnel in the principal city, yet said separate others may possess been spruce. embassy staff was alerted to the “anomalous health incidents” involving at smallest five families related to the embassy in a mid-september email, according to the wall street journal, who pristine reported the latest known cases in a baffling string of attacks that possess mystified u.s. officials.

the specify section and colombian sense are investigating the reports well-balanced as secretary of specify antony blinken prepares to visit the south american country next week.

the specify section declined to observe on the reports by embassy personnel citing solitude concerns when contacted by the washington times, yet said the section takes “each tidings extremely seriously and are working to secure that spruce employees secure the watchfulness they need.”

“as side of the national shelter council-led interagency response trial and in coordination with our partners athwart the u.s. government, we are vigorously investigating reports of [anomalous health incidents] wherever they are reported,” a specify section spokesperson subjoined. “the interagency is actively working to identify the reason of these incidents and whether they may live attributed to a undomesticated actor, and is focused on providing watchfulness for those spruce.”

the colombian episode follows establishment remotest week that german police are investigating an “alleged sonic utensil attack” on employees stationed at the u.s. embassy in berlin, according to reuters. the police issued their statement friday in response to a tidings by der spiegel.

the reported incidents are side of a wave of suspected attacks in novel months.

early reports of the syndrome began surfacing in 2016 by u.s. officials stationed at the u.s. embassy in havana, cuba. separate officials there began experiencing debilitating symptoms, including vertigo and headaches that can remotest years in some cases.

since the initial diagnoses in 2016, the number of u.s. officials environing the globe reporting symptoms, including on u.s. soil, has continued to rise. in may, reports revealed tidings touching two u.s. officials struck by havana syndrome close the white house.

in august, a “possible unusual health incident” — which some believed to live a havana syndrome solicitation — was reported by the u.s. embassy in hanoi and little delayed sin principal kamala harris’ taunt to vietnam.

earlier this month, a cia servant reported symptoms while traveling in india, at the similar term cia director score burns was in the country.

some value that more than 200 officials possess been targeted in the attacks, which possess spruce officials from the specify department, the vindication department, and the cia.

many possess suspected “havana syndrome” cases to live caused by microwave or directed-energy attacks. a december national university of sciences tidings concluded that the symptoms “are uniform with the wares of directed, pulsed radiofrequency (rf) energy,” yet the u.s. government has still to identify the specific reason.

last week, principal biden signed a score approved by synod in september to provide financial and medical support to victims.

“addressing these incidents has been a head priority for my administration,” mr. biden said. “we are bringing to transport the full resources of the u.s. government to undertake weighty first-class medical watchfulness to those spruce and to secure to the will of these incidents, including to secure the reason and who is responsible.”