A Trio of US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Gunman, US Defense Department Says
A deadly attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with several other people wounded, as stated by the Pentagon.
This offensive on American forces in the ancient town of Palmyra represents the initial incident to cause fatalities since the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"The attack took place while the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," an official stated. "The operation was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the region."
The assailant behind the shooting was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Specifics Kept Private For Privacy
Central Command indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with policy, the names of the fallen service members will be withheld until a full day after their families have been informed.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a conflict observatory said that shots erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur.
Conflicting Reports Emerge
According to a government news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US service members were wounded in the incident. The injured were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with neighboring countries.
An official for Syria's interior ministry said a gunman affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are investigating whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the group or merely adhered to its extreme ideology.
This spokesperson further denied a report from a Britain-based rights group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.
Ongoing American Deployment in the Region
The US currently has a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as part of a multinational alliance fighting the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in Syria in 2019, the group's sleeper cells still execute deadly attacks. United Nations estimates indicate the group retains thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have previously been targeted in the past. Among the most severe previous attacks took place in 2019 in the north, when an explosion claimed the lives of two US service members and US civilians, among additional casualties.
