US President Donald Trump expressed sorrow over the loss of three American Patriots in Syria, promising severe retaliation on his Truth Social platform.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that the attack happened in Palmyra, which houses ancient ruins recognized by UNESCO and was previously controlled by ISIS during its territorial expansion in Syria.
According to US Central Command, the deadly event was an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman, who was engaged and neutralized.
Trump described it as an ISIS attack on the US and Syria in a dangerous area that they do not fully control.
Three other wounded US soldiers are reportedly recovering well, Trump added.
These troops were involved in significant leadership engagement to support counterterrorism efforts at the time of the attack, Parnell noted, while US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack mentioned the ambush targeted a joint US-Syrian government patrol.
This marks the first incident of its kind reported since Islamist-led forces ousted long-term Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last December and restored US-Syria relations.
Trump also mentioned that Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who recently visited the White House, was profoundly upset by the attack.
Syria’s foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani condemned the terrorist attack on a joint Syria-US counterterrorism patrol near Palmyra in a post on X.
He extended condolences to the victims’ families, the US government, and its people, also wishing the injured a quick recovery.