🔗 Share this article A Trio of US Citizens Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday morning led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others wounded, as stated by the Pentagon. This offensive on American forces in the historic town of Palmyra marks the initial event to inflict casualties following the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago. "The attack occurred as the service members were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official stated. "The operation was in aid of ongoing counter-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the area." The attacker behind the gunfire was eliminated by allied troops, as confirmed by a statement from the US defense secretary. Details Withheld 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 a full day after their families have been notified. Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a war monitor stated that shots erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Palmyra. Varying Accounts Emerge According to a government news agency, a pair of local security forces and several US personnel were wounded in the exchange. Those hurt were allegedly evacuated by helicopters to a military base near the frontier with neighboring countries. An official for the Syrian government said a gunman affiliated with ISIS opened fire at the entrance of a military post. Officials are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or simply adhered to its radical beliefs. The official also denied a claim from a UK-based rights group that the gunman was a member of the security forces. Continued US Presence in Syria The US maintains hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as part of a multinational alliance fighting the Islamic State. Despite being declared defeated in the country in 2019, the group's dormant networks continue to execute deadly attacks. UN estimates suggest the group still has thousands of militants in both Syria and Iraq. US troops have been attacked in the past. One of the deadliest prior incidents occurred in that year in the north, when an blast killed American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.