AhlulBayt News Agency: Two American soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed, while three others were wounded in Syria’s central Homs province, after a suspected Daesh militant opened fire on a joint patrol involving U.S. forces and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) elements.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the casualties in a statement posted on X on Saturday.
CENTCOM reported that “an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman” led to the deaths and injuries of American personnel, adding that the assailant was engaged and killed.
U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth also wrote on X, stating that “the savage who carried out this attack was eliminated by partner forces.”
Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesman, noted that the incident occurred in Palmyra, Syria, where two soldiers and one interpreter were killed and three others wounded during a “key leader engagement” mission supporting counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism operations.
A Pentagon official clarified that the attack happened in an area not under HTS control.
Earlier, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported that an attack in Palmyra had injured both American troops and HTS fighters.
According to SANA, the soldiers were participating in a “joint field tour” in Palmyra, a city once controlled by Daesh.
A Syrian source, speaking anonymously, said gunfire erupted “during a meeting” between U.S. officers and HTS forces at a Syrian base in Palmyra.
Another witness, who also requested anonymity, said he heard shots coming from inside the base.
SANA added that helicopters evacuated the wounded to the al-Tanf garrison near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, where U.S. forces are stationed.
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