Three Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports
A fatal attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday morning led to the deaths of two US army soldiers and a US civilian translator, with several other people injured, according to the US Department of Defense.
The assault on US troops in the ancient town of Tadmur marks the initial incident to cause fatalities since the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"This assault took place while the soldiers were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official stated. "The operation was in support of on-going anti-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region."
The attacker behind the shooting was eliminated by partner forces, according to a statement from the US defense secretary.
Specifics Kept Private Out of Respect
Central Command indicated that, as a matter of respect for the loved ones and in accordance with policy, the names of the deceased personnel will not be released until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
Initial accounts from Syrian state media and a conflict observatory said that shots rang out during a visit by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur.
Conflicting Reports Surface
According to a state-run news agency, a pair of local security forces and a number of US service members were wounded in the exchange. The injured were reportedly transported by helicopters to a garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for Syria's interior ministry claimed a gunman affiliated with Islamic State opened fire at the gate of a army position. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the group or simply espoused its extreme ideology.
This spokesperson further refuted a report from a Britain-based rights group that the attacker was a security member.
Ongoing American Deployment in Syria
The United States currently has hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as part of a broader coalition fighting the ISIS militant group.
Even after being declared defeated in Syria in 2019, the group's sleeper cells still execute deadly attacks. United Nations estimates indicate the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both Syria and Iraq.
American forces have been attacked in the before. One of the most severe previous attacks occurred in 2019 in northern Syria, when an blast killed American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.
