A Trio of Americans Fatally Wounded in Syrian Territory by Alleged ISIS Gunman, US Defense Department Says

A fatal attack in central Syria on Saturday resulted in the loss of a pair of American troops and a US civilian translator, with several other people wounded, according to the US Department of Defense.

The assault on American forces in the ancient city of Tadmur marks the first incident to cause fatalities following the ouster of ex-leader Bashar al-Assad approximately a year prior.

"The attack took place while the service members were conducting a high-level meeting," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "The operation was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism missions in the region."

The assailant responsible for the gunfire was eliminated by partner forces, as confirmed by a statement from the Secretary of Defense.

Specifics Withheld For Privacy

US CENTCOM noted that, to respect the privacy for the families and in line with standard procedure, the identities of the deceased personnel will be withheld until a full day after their next of kin have been informed.

Initial accounts from Syrian state media and a war monitor stated that gunfire rang out during a visit by American troops to the area of Tadmur.

Conflicting Accounts Surface

According to a government media outlet, a pair of local security forces and several US personnel were wounded in the incident. The injured were allegedly transported by aircraft to a garrison near the frontier with Iraq and Jordan.

A spokesperson for the Syrian government said a gunman affiliated with Islamic State began shooting at the entrance of a army position. Authorities are looking into whether the individual was a formal member of the organization or simply espoused its extreme ideology.

The official further denied a claim from a Britain-based rights group that the attacker was a security member.

Continued American Deployment in the Region

The US maintains hundreds of troops stationed in Syria's east as a component of a broader coalition combating the ISIS militant group.

Despite being militarily routed in the country in recent years, the group's sleeper cells still execute deadly attacks. United Nations estimates indicate the faction still has thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq.

US troops have previously been targeted in the past. One of the deadliest prior incidents occurred in that year in the north, when an blast killed two US service members and two American civilians, among additional casualties.