Two US Army Personnel, Civilian Killed In Ambush By ISIS Gunman In Syria, Three Injured

Last Updated:December 13, 2025, 23:27 IST

Two US service members and an American civilian were killed by a lone ISIS gunman during a meeting of American and Syrian troops in Palmyra. The gunman was later shot dead.

The US has hundreds of troops deployed in Syria as part of a coalition against the Islamic State group. (AFP/Representational Image)

Two US service members and an American civilian were killed, and three other people were wounded in an ambush by a lone member of the Islamic State (ISIS) group in central Syria on Saturday, according to the US Army’s Central Command.

“Two US service members and one US civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria. The gunman was engaged and killed,” the CENTCOM, which oversees the American military in the Middle East, said on X.

The attack on US troops in Syria is the first to inflict casualties since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad a year ago. CENTCOM said the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified, as per the policy of the US Department of Defence.

US Defence Secretary also confirmed that the “savage” ISIS gunman was killed by partner forces. “Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” he said on X.

The shooting took place near historic Palmyra, according to the state-run SANA news agency, which earlier reported that two members of Syria’s security force and several US service members had been wounded. The casualties were taken by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security force. The attack took place during a “joint field tour” in Palmyra, which was once under the control of the ISIS.

A Syrian military official who requested anonymity said that the shots were fired “during a meeting between Syrian and American officers” at a Syrian base in Palmyra. The meeting came as part of an “American strategy to strengthen its presence and foothold in the Syrian desert”, as per the observatory.

The US has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Last month, Syria joined the international coalition fighting against the IS as Damascus improves its relations with Western countries following the ouster of Assad when insurgents captured his seat of power in Damascus.

Washington had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but ties have warmed since the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule. The interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, made a historic visit to Washington last month, where he held talks with US President Donald Trump.

ISIS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019, but the group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in the country. The United Nations says the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq. US forces are deployed in Syria’s Kurdish-controlled northeast as well as at Tanf near the border with Jordan, as part of a broader campaign against the Islamist group.

(with inputs from agencies)

News world Two US Army Personnel, Civilian Killed In Ambush By ISIS Gunman In Syria, Three Injured

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