The Pentagon has released the names of the 30 U.S. troops killed in an attack on a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan last week, AFP reported.
The move comes despite earlier objections from the U.S. Special Operations Command that had argued against identifying most of those aboard the chopper, on grounds that the details could potentially put fellow troops and their families at risk.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in the end rejected the request and approved divulging the names. Names of SEALs are not classified under U.S. law, unlike those of Central Intelligence Agency officers.
According to a statement made by the Defense Department on Thursday, 17 SEALs had died while five other Navy sailors assigned to the SEAL unit were killed.
The dead included three Air Force special operations forces and the five-man Army crew of the Chinook helicopter, the statement said.
A total of 38 people died in the crash, the other eight being seven Afghan troops and an interpreter.
It was the most deadly incident for U.S. and NATO forces since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001.