Three Americans Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Says
A deadly attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday morning led to the deaths of two US army soldiers and a US civilian translator, with a number of others wounded, according to the US Department of Defense.
The assault on American forces in the historic town of Palmyra marks the first event to cause fatalities following the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"The attack took place while the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the region."
The attacker behind the shooting was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Details Withheld Out of Respect
US CENTCOM indicated that, as a matter of respect for the loved ones and in accordance with policy, the identities of the deceased personnel will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been informed.
Earlier reports from local news agencies and a war monitor said that gunfire erupted during a visit by American troops to the area of Tadmur.
Varying Reports Emerge
Per a government news agency, a pair of local security forces and several US personnel were injured in the incident. The injured were allegedly transported by aircraft to a garrison near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for the Syrian government said a shooter affiliated with ISIS opened fire at the gate of a army position. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or merely adhered to its extreme ideology.
The official also denied a claim from a UK-based monitoring group that the gunman was a security member.
Continued American Deployment in Syria
The United States maintains hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as part of a multinational alliance fighting the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in the country in 2019, the organization's dormant networks continue to carry out lethal strikes. UN estimates indicate the faction still has thousands of fighters in Syria and Iraq.
US troops have been targeted in the past. One of the deadliest prior incidents occurred in that year in northern Syria, when an blast claimed the lives of American soldiers and US civilians, among others.
