A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Gunman, US Defense Department Reports
A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday morning led to the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with a number of others wounded, according to the Pentagon.
The assault on US troops in the ancient town of Tadmur represents the first incident to inflict casualties since the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"The attack took place while the service members were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official said. "Their mission was in support of on-going anti-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region."
The attacker behind the gunfire was killed by partner forces, according to a declaration from the Secretary of Defense.
Details Kept Private For Privacy
Central Command indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with policy, the names of the deceased personnel will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
Earlier reports from local news agencies and a conflict observatory stated that gunfire rang out during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Tadmur.
Conflicting Reports Surface
Per a state-run news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US personnel were wounded in the incident. The injured were allegedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
An official for Syria's interior ministry claimed a gunman affiliated with Islamic State began shooting at the entrance of a military post. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the group or merely adhered to its radical beliefs.
This spokesperson further denied a claim from a UK-based monitoring group that the gunman was a member of the security forces.
Ongoing American Deployment in the Region
The US maintains a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition fighting the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in Syria in 2019, the group's sleeper cells continue to carry out deadly attacks. UN estimates suggest the faction retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
American forces have been targeted in the before. Among the most severe previous attacks took place in that year in the north, when an explosion killed American soldiers and US civilians, among others.
