đź”— Share this article Three US Citizens Fatally Wounded in Syria by Suspected Islamic State Gunman, US Defense Department Says A fatal ambush in central Syria on Saturday led to the deaths of two US army soldiers and a US civilian translator, with a number of others wounded, according to the US Department of Defense. The assault on US troops in the historic city of Tadmur marks the initial incident to inflict casualties following the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior. "This assault took place while the soldiers were carrying out a high-level meeting," an official stated. "Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region." The assailant behind the shooting was eliminated by allied troops, as confirmed by a statement from the US defense secretary. Specifics Withheld For Privacy US CENTCOM indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with policy, the identities of the fallen service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified. Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor stated that shots erupted during a visit by US soldiers to the central town of Tadmur. Conflicting Reports Emerge According to a government media outlet, two members of Syria's security force and several US personnel were injured in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly evacuated by helicopters to a garrison near the border with neighboring countries. An official for the Syrian government claimed a shooter linked to Islamic State opened fire at the entrance of a army position. Officials are looking into whether the assailant was a card-carrying member of the group or merely espoused its radical beliefs. The official further denied a claim from a Britain-based monitoring group that the attacker was a security member. Ongoing American Deployment in Syria The United States currently has hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as part of a broader coalition fighting the Islamic State. Despite being militarily routed in the country in recent years, the group's dormant networks continue to carry out lethal strikes. United Nations estimates suggest the faction retains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both Syria and Iraq. American forces have been targeted in the past. One of the most severe previous attacks took place in 2019 in the north, when an blast claimed the lives of American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.