A Trio of US Citizens Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Assailant, Pentagon Reports
A fatal ambush in central Syria on Saturday led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others injured, as stated by the US Department of Defense.
This offensive on American forces in the historic city of Tadmur represents the initial incident to cause fatalities since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior.
"This assault took place while the soldiers were carrying out a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "Their mission was in support of on-going anti-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the region."
The attacker responsible for the shooting was eliminated by allied troops, as confirmed by a declaration from the US defense secretary.
Specifics Withheld Out of Respect
US CENTCOM noted that, as a matter of respect for the loved ones and in accordance with policy, the names of the deceased personnel will be withheld until a full day after their families have been informed.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor stated that shots erupted during a tour by American troops to the central town of Palmyra.
Varying Reports Emerge
According to a state-run news agency, two members of local security forces and several US service members were wounded in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with neighboring countries.
An official for Syria's interior ministry claimed a gunman linked to Islamic State opened fire at the gate of a military post. Authorities are looking into whether the individual was a formal member of the group or merely espoused its radical beliefs.
The official also refuted a claim from a Britain-based rights group that the gunman was a security member.
Ongoing American Deployment in the Region
The United States maintains hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as a component of a multinational alliance combating the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in the country in recent years, the group's sleeper cells continue to execute lethal strikes. United Nations assessments suggest the faction retains thousands of militants in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have been targeted in the past. One of the most severe prior incidents occurred in 2019 in northern Syria, when an explosion killed American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.
