Three US Citizens Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Alleged ISIS Gunman, US Defense Department Reports
A deadly attack in central Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with a number of others injured, as stated by the Pentagon.
The assault on US troops in the ancient city of Palmyra marks the first event to cause fatalities since the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the soldiers were carrying out a key leader engagement," an official said. "Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the area."
The attacker responsible for the gunfire was killed by allied troops, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Specifics Withheld Out of Respect
Central Command noted that, as a matter of respect for the loved ones and in accordance with standard procedure, the identities of the fallen service members will be withheld until a full day after their next of kin have been notified.
Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a conflict observatory stated that shots erupted during a tour by American troops to the area of Palmyra.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
According to a government news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US service members were injured in the exchange. The injured were allegedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with neighboring countries.
An official for the Syrian government claimed a gunman affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the gate of a army position. Officials are investigating whether the assailant was a formal member of the organization or simply adhered to its extreme ideology.
This spokesperson also refuted a claim from a UK-based rights group that the attacker was a security member.
Continued US Presence in the Region
The US maintains a military presence stationed in Syria's east as part of a multinational alliance fighting the ISIS militant group.
Even after being declared defeated in the country in 2019, the organization's sleeper cells continue to execute deadly attacks. United Nations estimates suggest the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both Syria and Iraq.
US troops have been targeted in the before. One of the most severe previous attacks occurred in 2019 in the north, when an explosion claimed the lives of American soldiers and US civilians, among others.
