A Trio of US Citizens Killed in Syria by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, Pentagon Reports
A fatal attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with several other people wounded, according to the Pentagon.
This offensive on American forces in the ancient town of Palmyra marks the first event to inflict casualties following the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the soldiers were carrying out a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "The operation was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the area."
The attacker responsible for the shooting was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Specifics Withheld Out of Respect
US CENTCOM indicated that, as a matter of respect for the families and in line with standard procedure, the identities of the deceased personnel will be withheld until a full day after their next of kin have been notified.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor stated that gunfire erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Palmyra.
Varying Accounts Emerge
According to a government media outlet, two members of local security forces and a number of US service members were wounded in the incident. The injured were allegedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the border with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for the Syrian government said a shooter affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are looking into whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or simply adhered to its radical beliefs.
The official also refuted a claim from a UK-based rights group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Continued American Deployment in Syria
The US currently has hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as a component of a broader coalition combating the Islamic State.
Despite being militarily routed in the country in 2019, the group's dormant networks still execute deadly attacks. UN estimates suggest the faction retains thousands of militants in Syria and Iraq.
American forces have previously been targeted in the past. One of the most severe previous attacks occurred in 2019 in northern Syria, when an blast killed two US service members and US civilians, among others.
