Three Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Alleged Islamic State Gunman, Pentagon Reports
A deadly attack in central Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others wounded, as stated by the US Department of Defense.
This offensive on US troops in the ancient city of Palmyra marks the initial incident to inflict casualties since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"The attack occurred as the service members were carrying out a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "Their mission was in aid of on-going anti-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the area."
The assailant behind the gunfire was eliminated by allied troops, as confirmed by a declaration from the Secretary of Defense.
Specifics Kept Private Out of Respect
Central Command noted that, as a matter of respect 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 notified.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a conflict observatory said that gunfire rang out during a visit by American troops to the area of Palmyra.
Varying Reports Emerge
Per a state-run news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US personnel were injured in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
An official for the Syrian government claimed a shooter affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the gate of a military post. Authorities are looking into whether the assailant was a formal member of the group or simply adhered to its radical beliefs.
This spokesperson also denied a claim from a UK-based monitoring group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Continued American Deployment in the Region
The United States maintains hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition fighting the ISIS militant group.
Even after being declared defeated in Syria in 2019, the organization's dormant networks continue to carry out lethal strikes. UN assessments suggest the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been attacked in the before. Among the deadliest previous attacks occurred in that year in northern Syria, when an explosion killed American soldiers and US civilians, among additional casualties.
