The Pentagon confirmed the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter in an attack in Palmyra, Syria. The incident occurred while the soldiers were engaged in ongoing anti-ISIS operations, alongside Syrian government forces. Three additional U.S. soldiers sustained injuries during the attack.
Initial assessments from Pentagon officials suggest that the assault was likely executed by ISIS, occurring in an area outside the control of the Syrian government. However, local authorities have indicated that the perpetrator may have been affiliated with Syrian government security forces. Noureddine el-Baba, a spokesman for the Syrian Interior Ministry, stated that the attacker was under investigation for extremist views prior to the incident.
In response to the attack, President Donald Trump expressed his condolences, referring to the fallen individuals as "three great patriots." He indicated that the United States would take retaliatory action. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth condemned the attack and noted that the assailant was killed by partner forces, which he identified as the Syrian army.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, also expressed sorrow over the loss of the soldiers, reaffirming U.S. commitment to combating terrorism in cooperation with Syrian partners. He called for a swift recovery for the Syrian troops injured in the attack.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of a recent political cooperation agreement between Syria and the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, highlighting the complexities of the ongoing situation in the region. This is a developing story, and further updates are expected as more information becomes available.