🔗 Share this article Three US Citizens Fatally Wounded in Syria by Suspected Islamic State Gunman, Pentagon Says A fatal attack in central Syria on Saturday morning led to the loss of a pair of American troops and one American civilian interpreter, with several other people injured, according to the Pentagon. The assault on American forces in the ancient city of Palmyra represents the first incident to inflict casualties since the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior. "The attack occurred as the service members were carrying out a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "Their mission was in aid of ongoing anti-ISIS / anti-terror operations in the region." The attacker responsible for the shooting was eliminated by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense. Specifics Withheld For Privacy US CENTCOM indicated that, to respect the privacy for the families and in accordance with standard procedure, the names of the fallen service members will not be released until a full day after their families have been notified. Earlier reports from local news agencies and a conflict observatory said that shots erupted during a visit by American troops to the central town of Tadmur. Varying Accounts Emerge According to a state-run media outlet, a pair of local security forces and a number of US personnel were injured in the exchange. Those hurt were reportedly transported by helicopters to a military base near the border with Iraq and Jordan. An official for the Syrian government claimed a shooter linked to ISIS began shooting at the gate of a army position. Authorities are looking into whether the assailant was a formal member of the group or simply espoused its radical beliefs. This spokesperson further denied a claim from a UK-based monitoring group that the attacker was a member of the security forces. Continued US Presence in the Region The United States maintains hundreds of troops deployed in Syria's east as a component of a broader coalition fighting the Islamic State. Despite being militarily routed in the country in recent years, the organization's sleeper cells continue to execute deadly attacks. United Nations assessments indicate the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both Syria and Iraq. US troops have previously been targeted in the before. Among the deadliest previous attacks occurred in that year in northern Syria, when an blast claimed the lives of American soldiers and two American civilians, among additional casualties.