Three US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports
A fatal ambush in central Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of two US army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others wounded, according to the Pentagon.
This offensive on US troops in the historic town of Tadmur marks the first event to cause fatalities following the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.
"This assault occurred as the soldiers were carrying out a key leader engagement," an official said. "The operation was in aid of ongoing counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region."
The attacker responsible for the gunfire was killed 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 families and in line with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will not be released until 24 hours after their next of kin have been informed.
Earlier reports from local news agencies and a conflict observatory said that gunfire rang out during a tour by American troops to the area of Tadmur.
Conflicting Reports Surface
Per a state-run news agency, two members of Syria's security force and a number of US personnel were injured in the exchange. Those hurt were allegedly transported by helicopters to a military base near the border with neighboring countries.
An official for the Syrian government claimed a shooter affiliated with ISIS opened fire at the entrance of a army position. Officials are looking into whether the individual was a card-carrying member of the group or merely adhered to its extreme ideology.
The official further denied a report from a UK-based rights group that the gunman was a security member.
Ongoing American Deployment in the Region
The US currently has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as a component of a multinational alliance combating the ISIS militant group.
Despite being declared defeated in Syria in recent years, the organization's sleeper cells continue to execute lethal strikes. United Nations assessments suggest the group retains thousands of fighters in Syria and Iraq.
American forces have previously been attacked in the before. Among the deadliest prior incidents occurred in that year in the north, when an explosion claimed the lives of two US service members and two American civilians, among others.
