Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed on Saturday, December 12, after a suspected Islamic State (IS) attacker opened fire on a convoy involving American and Syrian forces in central Syria, the US military has confirmed. The attacker was later shot dead.
The shooting occurred in the historic city of Palmyra while US troops were conducting what the military described as a “key leader engagement.” US Central Command said three additional American soldiers were wounded in the attack.
The incident comes just weeks after Syria announced a political cooperation agreement with the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State, coinciding with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House.
According to Reuters, three local officials claimed the attacker was a member of Syria’s security forces. However, Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine el-Baba said the individual did not hold a leadership role. He revealed that authorities had flagged the attacker days earlier for possible extremist views, with a decision regarding his status expected on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, vowing “very serious retaliation” and mourning the deaths of what he described as “three great patriots.” He later called the incident a “terrible” attack.
A senior US official said initial assessments suggest Islamic State was likely responsible, although the group has not claimed responsibility. The official added that the attack occurred in an area outside the Syrian government’s direct control.
El-Baba said Syrian authorities had warned of a potential IS attack in the area but claimed coalition forces did not fully act on the intelligence. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the attacker had direct ties to Islamic State or was influenced by its ideology.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that two Syrian security personnel were also injured and were evacuated by US helicopters to a base near the Iraqi border.
US special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, condemned the attack, reaffirming Washington’s commitment to working with Syrian partners to defeat terrorism.
The US military said the identities of the deceased would be released once next-of-kin notifications are completed.
