Two U.S. troops and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed and three were wounded in Syria today during a “key leader engagement,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on X. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the troops were ambushed by a lone gunman, who was killed.
“Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region,” Parnell wrote on X. “The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin notification. This attack is currently under active investigation.”
Video from the scene shows a U.S. Air Force F-16 flying low overhead in a show of force and either an MH-60 special operations Black Hawk or HH-60 combat search and rescue helicopter on the ground. Palmyra, a city of major historical significance, had been a stronghold of ISIS during the height of the group’s reign of terror.
The U.S. still has around a thousand troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group.
“Last month, Syria joined the international coalition fighting against the IS as Damascus improves its relations with Western countries following last year’s fall of President Bashar Assad when insurgents captured his seat of power in Damascus,” the wire service added.
Details about the gunman’s motives and affiliations are under investigation. We’ve reached out to the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command for more details.
This is a developing story.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com