Three U.S. military personnel — two Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter — were killed on Saturday by a suspected Islamic State attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces, the U.S. military said.
Three other U.S. soldiers were wounded, the U.S. military’s Central Command said.
In a statement, Central Command said the attack by a lone gunman occurred “as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement” in the central Syrian town of Palmyra. “Partner forces” killed the attacker, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote in a social media post.
Islamic State did not immediately claim responsibility, but a senior U.S. official said initial assessments indicate the militant group probably carried out the attack. It took place in an area not controlled by the Syrian government, the official said.
The soldiers’ names will be withheld until 24 hours after the next-of-kin notification, the U.S. military said.
