🔗 Share this article A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syria by Alleged Islamic State Assailant, US Defense Department Reports A fatal attack in central Syria on Saturday led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with a number of others wounded, as stated by the Pentagon. The assault on US troops in the ancient city of Palmyra represents the first incident to inflict casualties following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior. "The attack took place while the service members were conducting a high-level meeting," an official stated. "The operation was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region." The assailant responsible for the shooting was eliminated by partner forces, according to a statement from the US defense secretary. Specifics Kept Private Out of Respect US CENTCOM noted that, as a matter of respect for the families and in line with standard procedure, the identities of the deceased personnel will be withheld until 24 hours after their families have been notified. Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a war monitor stated that gunfire rang out during a tour by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur. Varying Accounts Surface Per a government media outlet, a pair of local security forces and several US service members were wounded in the exchange. The injured were reportedly evacuated by helicopters to a garrison near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan. A spokesperson for the Syrian government said a gunman affiliated with ISIS began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are investigating whether the assailant was a formal member of the group or simply adhered to its extreme ideology. The official further denied a report from a Britain-based monitoring group that the attacker was a security member. Ongoing US Presence in the Region The United States currently has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition fighting the ISIS militant group. Even after being militarily routed in Syria in recent years, the group's dormant networks still execute lethal strikes. United Nations estimates indicate the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both Syria and Iraq. American forces have been attacked in the before. Among the most severe previous attacks occurred in 2019 in the north, when an blast killed two US service members and two American civilians, among others.