A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syria by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports
A fatal ambush in the heart of Syria on Saturday led to the loss of two US army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, with several other people injured, as stated by the Pentagon.
The assault on American forces in the ancient city of Tadmur marks the initial incident to cause fatalities since the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"The attack took place while the soldiers were carrying out a key leader engagement," an official said. "The operation was in aid of on-going anti-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the area."
The assailant behind the shooting was killed by allied troops, as confirmed by a statement from the US defense secretary.
Specifics Kept Private For Privacy
US CENTCOM noted that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with standard procedure, the identities of the deceased personnel will be withheld until a full day after their families have been notified.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor stated that shots rang out during a visit by American troops to the area of Palmyra.
Conflicting Reports Emerge
According to a state-run news agency, a pair of local security forces and a number of US service members 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 claimed a shooter affiliated with Islamic State began shooting at the entrance of a military post. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the group or simply adhered to its extreme ideology.
The official also refuted a report from a UK-based rights group that the gunman was a security member.
Ongoing US Presence in the Region
The United States maintains hundreds of troops stationed in Syria's east as part of a broader coalition fighting the Islamic State.
Even after being militarily routed in the country in 2019, the group's sleeper cells continue to execute deadly attacks. United Nations assessments indicate the faction retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been attacked in the before. Among the most severe previous attacks occurred in that year in the north, when an blast claimed the lives of American soldiers and two American civilians, among others.
