A Trio of US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, Pentagon Reports
A deadly attack 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 injured, according to the Pentagon.
This offensive on US troops in the historic city of Palmyra marks the initial incident to inflict casualties following the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"This assault occurred as the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "Their mission was in support of on-going anti-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the area."
The assailant responsible for the gunfire was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the US defense secretary.
Details Kept Private 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 be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been informed.
Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a conflict observatory stated that shots erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Palmyra.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
According to a government news agency, two members of Syria's security force and several US personnel were wounded in the incident. The injured were allegedly evacuated by helicopters to a garrison near the border with neighboring countries.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry claimed a shooter affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the gate of a military post. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or merely adhered to its radical beliefs.
The official also denied a claim from a UK-based monitoring group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Continued US Presence in the Region
The US currently has a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as a component of a multinational alliance combating the Islamic State.
Despite being militarily routed in the country in 2019, the group's dormant networks still execute lethal strikes. United Nations assessments indicate the faction retains thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
American forces have previously been attacked in the past. One of the deadliest prior incidents occurred in that year in northern Syria, when an blast killed American soldiers and US civilians, among others.
