A Trio of US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Gunman, Pentagon Says
A deadly ambush in the heart of Syria on Saturday resulted in the deaths of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others wounded, according to the US Department of Defense.
The assault on American forces in the ancient city of Palmyra represents the first incident to cause fatalities following the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "Their mission was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the region."
The attacker behind the shooting was killed by partner forces, according to a declaration from the US defense secretary.
Details Withheld For Privacy
Central Command indicated that, to respect the privacy for the loved ones and in accordance with standard procedure, the names of the fallen service members will be withheld until a full day after their next of kin have been informed.
Initial accounts from Syrian state media and a war monitor said that shots erupted during a tour by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur.
Varying Reports Surface
According to a government news agency, two members of Syria's security force and several US personnel were injured in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly transported by helicopters to a military base near the border with Iraq and Jordan.
An official for Syria's interior ministry claimed a shooter linked to ISIS began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are investigating whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the organization or simply espoused its radical beliefs.
This spokesperson also refuted a report from a UK-based monitoring group that the gunman was a security member.
Ongoing US Presence in Syria
The US maintains a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as part of a multinational alliance combating the ISIS militant group.
Even after being militarily routed in Syria in recent years, the group's sleeper cells continue to execute deadly attacks. United Nations assessments suggest the faction retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been attacked in the before. Among the most severe prior incidents took place in 2019 in northern Syria, when an blast claimed the lives of two US service members and two American civilians, among additional casualties.
