US soldiers, civilian interpreter killed during ambush in Syria by apparent ISIS gunman: Officials
The gunman was killed by "partner forces," Secretary Hegseth said.
By Benjamin Siu, Anne Flaherty, Luis Martinez, and Ivan Pereira
December 13, 2025, 11:02 AM
2 US troops, 1 civilian interpreter killed in ambush in Syria
Two U.S. soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed in Syria Saturday after they were ambushed by a likely ISIS gunman, U.S. officials said.
The gunman was killed by "partner forces" during a skirmish, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Three other service members were injured during the incident in Palmyra, Syria, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. Two U.S. officials told ABC News the wounded were American.
"The attack occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement. Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region," Parnell said in a statement.
This marked the first combat deaths since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office.
A Pentagon official told ABC News that Saturday's attack "took place in an area where the Syrian President does not have control."
"Initial assessments show the attack was likely carried out by ISIS," the official said.
The identities of the soldiers were not immediately revealed due to ongoing next of kin notifications, officials said.
The three American fatalities in today’s attack in Syria are the first combat deaths in that country since 2019 when four Americans were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Manbij, Syria.
Prior to today there had been 10 U.S. military deaths in Syria, including a mix of hostile and non-hostile deaths. The most recent U.S. military death in Syria was a non-hostile death in February 2022.
