Key points
- Syrian security forces member reportedly behind attack
- Trump vows “serious retaliation” following attack
- US military involved in ongoing operations against IS
ISLAMABAD: Three U.S. personnel, including two soldiers and a civilian interpreter, were killed in a suspected attack by the Islamic State in Syria on Saturday, the U.S. military has confirmed. The attack targeted a convoy of U.S. and Syrian forces before the assailant was shot dead.
The attack occurred just over a month after Syria signed a political cooperation agreement with the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, coinciding with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House, reports Reuters.
According to three local officials, the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces. However, a spokesperson for Syria’s Interior Ministry stated that the individual did not hold a leadership role within the forces.
The spokesperson, Noureddine el-Baba, revealed that an evaluation on December 10 had flagged the attacker’s potential extremist leanings, with a decision about his status expected soon after the attack.
U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the assault, promising “very serious retaliation” and mourning the loss of “three great patriots.” He described the attack as “terrible” during remarks to reporters.
The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed that three additional soldiers were wounded in the attack, which occurred while the soldiers were conducting a key engagement in Palmyra, central Syria. The assailant was killed by “partner forces,” according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
Initial assessments
Initial assessments suggest that the Islamic State likely carried out the attack, though the group has not yet claimed responsibility. The incident took place in an area not controlled by the Syrian government, with local sources indicating that Syrian forces had warned of potential Islamic State activity in the region, though the U.S.-led coalition reportedly did not act on these warnings.
The U.S. military has withheld the names of the deceased soldiers until their next of kin have been notified. Meanwhile, Syrian state news agency SANA reported that two Syrian service personnel were injured in the attack and evacuated by U.S. helicopters to a base in Syria’s Al-Tanf region.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy to Syria, condemned the attack and reiterated U.S. commitment to defeating terrorism in collaboration with Syrian partners. The U.S.-led coalition has been involved in airstrikes and ground operations against Islamic State militants in Syria, with Syria’s security forces playing an active role in recent months.
The United States maintains troops in northeastern Syria as part of ongoing efforts to support a Kurdish-led force in the region.
