US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the deaths on X on Saturday, December 13, after Syria's state media earlier reported that an attack in the city of Palmyra had wounded American and Syrian troops.
"An ambush by a lone ISIS gunman" resulted in the deaths and injuries to three additional troops, said CENTCOM, which oversees the US military in the Middle East. "The gunman was engaged and killed," it said.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the attack occurred as the soldiers "were conducting a key leader engagement" in support of counter-terrorism operations, while US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the ambush targeted "a joint US-Syrian government patrol."
"The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X.
Parnell said the identities of the deceased troops would be withheld until after their families were notified.
