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A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday morning led to the deaths of two US army soldiers and one American civilian interpreter, with several other people injured, as stated by the Pentagon.

This offensive on American forces in the historic town of Tadmur represents the first incident to inflict casualties following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad roughly a year prior.

"The attack occurred as the service members were conducting a key leader engagement," a Pentagon spokesperson said. "The operation was in aid of on-going counter-ISIS / anti-terror missions in the area."

The assailant behind the gunfire was eliminated by partner forces, as confirmed by a declaration from the US defense secretary.

Details Kept Private For Privacy

Central Command indicated that, to respect the privacy for the loved ones and in accordance with standard procedure, the names of the deceased personnel will be withheld until 24 hours after their families have been notified.

Initial accounts from local news agencies and a war monitor stated that gunfire rang out during a tour by US soldiers to the central town of Palmyra.

Conflicting Accounts Emerge

Per a government media outlet, a pair of local security forces and a number of US personnel were wounded in the exchange. The injured were reportedly transported by aircraft to a military base near the border with neighboring countries.

An official for the Syrian government said a gunman affiliated with Islamic State began shooting at the gate of a military post. Officials are investigating whether the assailant was a card-carrying member of the group or merely adhered to its radical beliefs.

This spokesperson further denied a report from a Britain-based rights group that the attacker was a member of the security forces.

Ongoing US Presence in Syria

The United States maintains a military presence stationed in eastern Syria as part of a multinational alliance fighting the ISIS militant group.

Despite being militarily routed in Syria in recent years, the organization's sleeper cells still execute lethal strikes. UN assessments suggest the faction retains thousands of militants in both Syria and Iraq.

American forces have been targeted in the before. Among the most severe previous attacks took place in 2019 in northern Syria, when an explosion claimed the lives of two US service members and two American civilians, among others.