Three US Citizens Killed in Syria by Alleged Islamic State Assailant, Pentagon Says
A deadly attack in the heart of Syria on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with a number of others wounded, as stated by the Pentagon.
The assault on American forces in the ancient town of Tadmur represents the initial incident to inflict casualties following the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago.
"This assault occurred as the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "The operation was in support of on-going anti-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the region."
The assailant responsible for the gunfire was killed by partner forces, as confirmed by a declaration from the Secretary of Defense.
Details Kept Private For Privacy
US CENTCOM indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will not be released until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
Initial accounts from Syrian state media and a war monitor said that shots erupted during a tour by American troops to the central town of Tadmur.
Varying Accounts Emerge
According to a state-run news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and several US personnel were injured in the incident. The injured were reportedly evacuated by aircraft to a garrison near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.
An official for the Syrian government claimed a shooter affiliated with ISIS opened fire at the gate of a military post. Authorities are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or merely adhered to its radical beliefs.
The official also refuted a report from a Britain-based monitoring group that the attacker was a security member.
Ongoing US Presence in Syria
The United States currently has a military presence stationed in eastern Syria as a component of a broader coalition combating the Islamic State.
Despite being militarily routed in Syria in recent years, the organization's sleeper cells continue to carry out deadly attacks. United Nations assessments suggest the faction retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both Syria and Iraq.
American forces have previously been attacked in the before. Among the most severe previous attacks took place in that year in northern Syria, when an explosion killed American soldiers and US civilians, among additional casualties.
