A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Alleged Islamic State Assailant, Pentagon Reports
A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with several other people injured, according to the US Department of Defense.
The assault on US troops in the ancient city of Palmyra marks the first event to inflict casualties since the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the service members were conducting a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "The operation was in support of ongoing anti-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the region."
The attacker behind the gunfire was eliminated by partner forces, according to a statement from the US defense secretary.
Details Withheld Out of Respect
US CENTCOM noted that, to respect the privacy for the loved ones and in accordance with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will not be released until 24 hours after their families have been notified.
Initial accounts from Syrian state media and a conflict observatory stated that gunfire rang out during a tour by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur.
Conflicting Reports Surface
According to a state-run news agency, two members of local security forces and a number of US personnel were wounded in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly transported by aircraft to a garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry said a gunman linked to ISIS began shooting at the gate of a military post. Authorities are looking into whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the organization or merely espoused its extreme ideology.
This spokesperson further denied a claim from a Britain-based monitoring group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Continued American Deployment in the Region
The US currently has a military presence deployed in Syria's east as a component of a broader coalition fighting the Islamic State.
Despite being militarily routed in the country in recent years, the group's dormant networks continue to execute lethal strikes. United Nations assessments suggest the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been attacked in the before. One of the most severe previous attacks took place in 2019 in northern Syria, when an blast killed American soldiers and US civilians, among additional casualties.
