🔗 Share this article A Trio of Americans Killed in Syrian Territory by Suspected Islamic State Assailant, Pentagon Says A deadly attack in central Syria on Saturday resulted in the loss of two US army soldiers and a US civilian translator, with several other people wounded, according to the US Department of Defense. This offensive on US troops in the historic town of Palmyra marks the initial incident to cause fatalities following the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad roughly a year ago. "The attack took place while the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson stated. "The operation was in aid of on-going anti-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region." The attacker responsible for the shooting was eliminated by allied troops, as confirmed by a statement from the US defense secretary. Specifics Withheld Out of Respect US CENTCOM noted that, to respect the privacy for the loved ones and in accordance with standard procedure, the names of the fallen service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their families have been informed. Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a war monitor stated that shots rang out during a tour by US soldiers to the central town of Tadmur. Varying Reports Surface According to a state-run media outlet, a pair of local security forces and a number of US personnel were wounded in the incident. Those hurt were allegedly evacuated by helicopters to a military base near the frontier with neighboring countries. A spokesperson for the Syrian government said a gunman linked to ISIS opened fire at the gate of a military post. Authorities are investigating whether the individual was a formal member of the group or simply espoused its radical beliefs. This spokesperson further denied a report from a UK-based monitoring group that the attacker was a security member. Continued American Deployment in Syria The US currently has a military presence deployed in eastern Syria as part of a multinational alliance combating the ISIS militant group. Even after being declared defeated in the country in recent years, the group's dormant networks still execute deadly attacks. UN estimates suggest the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq. US troops have been targeted in the past. One of the most severe prior incidents took place in 2019 in the north, when an explosion claimed the lives of two US service members and US civilians, among additional casualties.