A view of broken Syrian Normal Workers Headquarters following a number of Israeli airstrikes in central Damascus, Syria on July 16, 2025.
Bakr Al Kasem | Anadolu | Getty Photos
Two U.S. Military troopers and a civilian interpreter had been killed in Syria on Saturday by a suspected Islamic State attacker who focused a convoy of American and Syrian forces earlier than being shot lifeless, the U.S. army stated.
The assault was barely a month after Syria introduced it had signed a political cooperation settlement with the U.S.-led coalition towards Islamic State, which coincided with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s go to to the White Home.
The attacker was a member of the Syrian safety forces, three native officers advised Reuters. A Syrian Inside Ministry spokesperson advised a state-run tv channel that the person didn’t have a management position within the safety forces.
“On December 10, an analysis was issued indicating that this attacker may maintain extremist concepts, and a choice relating to him was as a result of be issued tomorrow, on Sunday,” the spokesperson, Noureddine el-Baba, advised Syrian tv channel Al-Ikhbariya.
In a submit on his Reality Social platform, U.S. President Donald Trump vowed “very critical retaliation,” mourning the lack of “three nice patriots”. He described the incident in remarks to reporters as a “horrible” assault.
Central Command says attacker was killed
Three U.S. troopers had been additionally wounded within the assault, the U.S. army’s Central Command stated.
In a press release, Central Command stated the assault by a lone gunman occurred “because the troopers had been conducting a key chief engagement” within the central Syrian city of Palmyra. “Accomplice forces” killed the attacker, U.S. Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth wrote in a social media submit.
A senior U.S. official stated preliminary assessments indicated that the Islamic State most likely carried out the assault, though the militant group didn’t instantly declare duty.
It happened in an space not managed by the Syrian authorities, the official stated.
Baba stated Syria had warned about the potential for an Islamic State assault in that area however that “coalition forces didn’t take the Syrian warnings… into consideration.”
He stated Syria would decide whether or not the attacker was linked to IS or merely subscribed to the group’s ideology.
The troopers’ names might be withheld till 24 hours after the next-of-kin notification, the U.S. army stated.
U.S. envoy condemns assault
Syrian state information company SANA quoted a safety supply as saying two Syrian service personnel had been injured, with out offering additional particulars. The supply advised SANA that American helicopters evacuated the injured to a U.S. base in Syria’s Al-Tanf area close to the Iraqi border.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and particular envoy to Syria, condemned the assault.
“We mourn the lack of three courageous U.S. service members and civilian personnel and want a speedy restoration to the Syrian troops wounded within the assault,” Barrack stated in a press release. “We stay dedicated to defeating terrorism with our Syrian companions.”
The U.S.-led coalition has carried out air strikes and floor operations in Syria focusing on Islamic State suspects in current months, usually with the involvement of Syria’s safety forces. Syria final month additionally carried out a nationwide marketing campaign, arresting greater than 70 individuals accused of hyperlinks to the group.
America has troops stationed in northeastern Syria as a part of a decade-long effort to assist a Kurdish-led pressure there.
