Three Americans Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected ISIS Assailant, Pentagon Says
A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with several other people wounded, according to the US Department of Defense.
The assault on US troops in the historic city of Palmyra represents the first event to inflict casualties since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"This assault occurred as the service members were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official said. "The operation was in aid of ongoing anti-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the area."
The attacker responsible for the gunfire was eliminated by partner forces, according to a statement from the Secretary of Defense.
Details Kept Private Out of Respect
US CENTCOM indicated that, to respect the privacy for the loved ones and in line with standard procedure, the identities of the deceased personnel will not be released until a full day after their families have been informed.
Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor said that shots rang out during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Palmyra.
Varying Accounts Emerge
According to a state-run media outlet, a pair of local security forces and a number of US service members were injured in the incident. The injured were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a military base near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
A spokesperson for the Syrian government claimed a gunman affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are looking into whether the assailant was a card-carrying member of the organization or simply adhered to its radical beliefs.
The official also denied a report from a UK-based rights group that the gunman was a member of the security forces.
Continued American Deployment in the Region
The United States currently has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition fighting the Islamic State.
Despite being declared defeated in Syria in recent years, the organization's dormant networks continue to carry out lethal strikes. UN assessments suggest the faction retains thousands of militants in both Syria and Iraq.
American forces have been targeted in the past. Among the deadliest prior incidents took place in that year in the north, when an explosion claimed the lives of American soldiers and US civilians, among others.
