A view of broken Syrian Basic Workers Headquarters following a number of Israeli airstrikes in central Damascus, Syria on July 16, 2025.
Bakr Al Kasem | Anadolu | Getty Photos
Three U.S. army personnel — two Military troopers and a civilian interpreter — have been killed on Saturday by a suspected Islamic State attacker who focused a convoy of American and Syrian forces, the U.S. army mentioned.
Three different U.S. troopers have been wounded, the U.S. army’s Central Command mentioned.
In a press release, Central Command mentioned the assault by a lone gunman occurred “because the troopers have been conducting a key chief engagement” within the central Syrian city of Palmyra. “Companion forces” killed the attacker, U.S. Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth wrote in a social media submit.
Islamic State didn’t instantly declare duty, however a senior U.S. official mentioned preliminary assessments point out the militant group in all probability carried out the assault. It occurred in an space not managed by the Syrian authorities, the official mentioned.
The troopers’ names might be withheld till 24 hours after the next-of-kin notification, the U.S. army mentioned.
Syrian state information company SANA quoted a safety supply as saying two Syrian service personnel have been injured, with out offering additional particulars. The supply informed 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 mentioned in a press release. “We stay dedicated to defeating terrorism with our Syrian companions.”
The assault got here 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 coalition has carried out air strikes and floor operations in Syria focusing on Islamic State suspects in current months, typically 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.
The USA has troops stationed in northeastern Syria as a part of a decade-long effort to assist a Kurdish-led pressure there.
