A Trio of US Citizens Fatally Wounded in Syria by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports
A fatal ambush in the heart of Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the deaths of two US army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, with several other people injured, according to the Pentagon.
This offensive on US troops in the ancient city of Tadmur marks the initial event to cause fatalities since the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "The operation was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the area."
The assailant behind the gunfire was killed by allied troops, according to a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Details Kept Private Out of Respect
US CENTCOM indicated that, as a matter of respect for the loved ones and in line with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will not be released until a full day after their families have been informed.
Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a conflict observatory stated that gunfire erupted during a tour by American troops to the area of Palmyra.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
According to a state-run media outlet, two members of Syria's security force and several US personnel were injured in the exchange. The injured were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry claimed a shooter affiliated with Islamic State opened fire at the entrance of a army position. Officials are looking into whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or simply adhered to its extreme ideology.
The official also refuted a claim from a UK-based rights group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Ongoing US Presence in the Region
The US maintains a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition combating the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in Syria in 2019, the group's sleeper cells continue to execute deadly attacks. United Nations estimates suggest the group retains thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been attacked in the past. One of the deadliest prior incidents took place in that year in northern Syria, when an explosion killed American soldiers and US civilians, among others.