Two US soldiers and an interpreter killed in an ISIS ambush on a joint patrol in Syria, prompting a vow of retaliation from President Trump
PALMYRA: Two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an alleged Islamic State ambush on a joint US-Syrian patrol in central Syria on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump vowed “very serious retaliation” for the attack, which he said targeted “a very dangerous part of Syria”.
The Pentagon said the attack in Palmyra was carried out by a lone ISIS gunman who was subsequently “engaged and killed”.
Three other wounded US troops were reported to be “doing well” following the incident.
A Pentagon spokesman stated the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement in support of counterterrorism operations when ambushed.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack confirmed the attack targeted “a joint US–Syrian government patrol”.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who visited the White House last month, was described by Trump as “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack”.
Syria’s foreign minister strongly condemned the “terrorist attack” and extended condolences to the American government and people.
A Syrian military official said the shooting occurred during a meeting between Syrian and American officers at a base in Palmyra.
A Pentagon official, however, claimed the attack happened in an area outside the Syrian president’s control.
Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Anwar al-Baba said there had been prior warnings of a potential IS infiltration that international coalition forces did not take into consideration.
The official SANA news agency reported helicopters evacuated the wounded to the US-led coalition’s Al-Tanf base in southern Syria.
The incident is the first of its kind reported since Islamist-led forces overthrew longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year.
Damascus formally joined the US-led global coalition against IS during President al-Sharaa’s historic visit to Washington last month. – AFP
