Two U.S. Soldiers and an Interpreter Killed in ISIS Attack in Syria

Darwin, 14 December: Two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an attack in the central Syrian city of Palmyra.

According to U.S. Central Command, the attack was carried out by a member of the Islamic State (ISIS). The attacker acted alone and was shot dead at the scene.

Three additional U.S. soldiers were injured in the attack. Two Syrian security personnel were also wounded.

At the time of the attack, a joint patrol team of U.S. and Syrian forces was on duty in the Palmyra area. They were holding a meeting with several key leaders. The area where the attack took place is not fully under the control of the Syrian government.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that this was “an ISIS attack” against the United States and Syria, and he vowed to take “harsh retaliation” in response.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the United States would track down and kill anyone who attacks American citizens.

Read more: Syria joins anti-ISIS coalition after meeting with Trump

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Similarly, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack denounced the incident as a cowardly terrorist act and reaffirmed the commitment to continue the joint fight against terrorism.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. An investigation is ongoing. The identities of the deceased will not be released until their families have been notified.

Last month, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met President Trump at the White House, marking the beginning of a new era in relations between the two countries. Syria has recently joined the international coalition against ISIS and pledged cooperation with the United States.

Although ISIS lost its last territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, United Nations data indicates that between 5,000 and 7,000 of the group’s fighters remain active in Syria and Iraq. U.S. troops have been stationed in Syria since 2015 to support the fight against ISIS.