🔗 Share this article Three US Citizens Killed in Syria by Alleged Islamic State Gunman, Pentagon Reports A fatal attack in central Syria on Saturday morning led to the deaths of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with a number of others injured, as stated by the US Department of Defense. The assault on US troops in the historic city of Palmyra represents the first incident to inflict casualties following the fall of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year ago. "This assault took place while the soldiers were carrying out a key leader engagement," an official stated. "The operation was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the area." The assailant responsible for the shooting was killed by partner forces, according to a declaration from the Secretary of Defense. Details Kept Private For Privacy US CENTCOM indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with standard procedure, the identities of the fallen service members will not be released until 24 hours after their next of kin have been informed. Earlier reports from Syrian state media and a war monitor said that gunfire erupted during a tour by US soldiers to the area of Tadmur. Varying Accounts Surface According to a state-run news agency, a pair of Syria's security force and a number of US service members were wounded in the exchange. The injured were allegedly transported by helicopters to a garrison near the border with neighboring countries. An official for the Syrian government claimed a gunman linked to Islamic State began shooting at the gate of a military post. Authorities are investigating whether the assailant was a formal member of the group or simply espoused its radical beliefs. The official also refuted a claim from a Britain-based monitoring group that the gunman was a member of the security forces. Ongoing American Deployment in Syria The US currently has hundreds of troops stationed in eastern Syria as part of a broader coalition combating the Islamic State. Even after being militarily routed in the country in 2019, the group's dormant networks continue to carry out deadly attacks. United Nations assessments indicate the faction still has thousands of militants in Syria and Iraq. US troops have previously been targeted in the past. One of the most severe previous attacks took place in 2019 in northern Syria, when an explosion claimed the lives of two US service members and two American civilians, among others.