Three US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Assailant, US Defense Department Reports
A deadly attack in central Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of two US army soldiers and a US civilian translator, with a number of others injured, as stated by the US Department of Defense.
This offensive on American forces in the historic town of Tadmur represents the first incident to inflict casualties since the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"This assault took place while the soldiers were conducting a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "Their mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the area."
The assailant behind the gunfire was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a declaration from the US defense secretary.
Details Withheld For Privacy
US CENTCOM indicated that, as a matter of respect for the families and in line with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their families have been notified.
Earlier reports from local news agencies and a conflict observatory stated that shots rang out during a tour by American troops to the central town of Palmyra.
Varying Accounts Surface
According to a government news agency, a pair of local security forces and several US service members were wounded in the exchange. The injured were allegedly evacuated by helicopters to a garrison near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry claimed a gunman affiliated with ISIS opened fire at the gate of a military post. Authorities 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 security member.
Ongoing US Presence in the Region
The United States maintains a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as a component of a multinational alliance combating the Islamic State.
Despite being declared defeated in the country in 2019, the group's dormant networks continue to execute lethal strikes. UN assessments suggest the group retains thousands of militants in Syria and Iraq.
US troops have been targeted in the past. One of the most severe prior incidents took place in 2019 in northern Syria, when an blast killed American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.
