A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Alleged ISIS Assailant, Pentagon Reports
A fatal attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday led to the loss of two US army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others injured, as stated by the US Department of Defense.
This offensive on US troops in the historic city of Palmyra represents the first event to inflict casualties since the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad approximately a year ago.
"The attack occurred as the soldiers were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official stated. "The operation was in support of ongoing anti-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the area."
The assailant responsible for the shooting was eliminated by partner forces, 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 policy, the names of the fallen service members will be withheld until a full day after their next of kin have been informed.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a conflict observatory stated that gunfire erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the area of Palmyra.
Conflicting Reports Emerge
Per a state-run media outlet, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US service members were injured in the incident. The injured were reportedly transported by helicopters to a military base near the border with neighboring countries.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry said a shooter affiliated with Islamic State began shooting at the entrance of a military post. Authorities are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the group or simply espoused its radical beliefs.
This spokesperson also refuted a report from a Britain-based monitoring group that the gunman was a security member.
Continued US Presence in the Region
The US maintains hundreds of troops stationed in Syria's east as part of a broader coalition combating the Islamic State.
Even after being militarily routed in Syria in 2019, the organization's dormant networks still carry out deadly attacks. UN assessments suggest the group still has thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
American forces have been targeted in the before. Among the deadliest previous attacks occurred in that year in the north, when an explosion killed two US service members and US civilians, among others.