The individual presumed responsible for the Saturday murder of American troops in Syria was set to be fired from his job the next day for his extremist views, officials said.
The shooting near Palmyra targeted U.S. and Syrian troops during a meeting aimed at expanding security cooperation.
Two Iowa National Guard soldiers, a U.S. civilian interpreter, and a Syrian officer were killed. Investigations continue into whether the gunman had direct ties to the Islamic State or merely adopted its ideology.
The attack highlights the security challenges confronting Syria‘s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as he seeks to consolidate control after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
Al-Sharaa’s government has rapidly integrated former rebel factions—including some hard-line fighters and former Islamists—into the new military and security services, raising concerns about vetting and internal discipline.
Syrian forces arrested five suspects following the attack, but analysts warn that extremist infiltration remains a risk as the new government extends authority across a fractured country.
For the United States, the incident raises the stakes but has not derailed cooperation with Damascus against the Islamic State. President Trump blamed ISIS and warned of retaliation, while U.S. officials reiterated a strategy of supporting capable Syrian partners to prevent the group’s resurgence.
The U.S. maintains about 1,000 troops in Syria and is pushing for closer coordination between Syrian forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, even as ISIS continues to stage frequent attacks and thousands of its fighters and supporters remain detained or displaced.
In this photo released by Syrian Presidency press office, President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa, at the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025
U.S. Army soldiers prepare to go out on patrol from a remote combat outpost on May 25, 2021 in northeastern Syria
In a post to his Truth Social just hours after the shooter attacked a US and Syrian convoy, Trump said: ‘We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter.
‘Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well.
‘This was an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them.
‘The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.’
A Pentagon spokesman confirmed the deaths on Saturday, saying two soldiers and one civilian US interpreter were gunned down in Palmyra, with three others wounded.
The convoy was in the historic town as part of an ongoing counter-ISIS operation in the region.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa (2nd L) speaking to the US President (unseen), as Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (L), US Vice President JD Vance (2nd R) and US envoy for Syria Tom Barrak (R) listen on, at the White House in Washington DC
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa waves as he greets supporters outside of the White House, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, in Washington, following a meeting with President Donald Trump
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican who is a combat veteran and served in the Iowa National Guard and the Global War on Terrorism, noted that the American soldiers targeted in the attack were ‘carrying out a critical mission in combating the threat of ISIS and keeping our homeland safe from the threat of radical Islamic terror.
‘This tragic attack is a reminder that freedom is not free and that every American owes an enormous debt of gratitude to our brave men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line every day,’ Ersnt added in a media statement issued Saturday night.
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally turned foe, was one of the most vocal critics of his meeting with Al-Sharaa last month, and even accused him of betraying the American people.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) walks to a closed door briefing with the Senate Armed Services committee at the U.S. Capitol on December 02, 2025 in Washington, DC. Senators attending the long scheduled briefing on naval aviation mishaps were asked by reporters about the recent U.S. strike on a ship in the Caribbean
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks during a hearing with the House Committee on Homeland Security in the Cannon House Office Building on December 11, 2025 in Washington, DC
Greene said that the president’s actions were a disgrace and a slap in the face to the thousands of veterans who have fought in the Middle East, bashing Trump for welcoming him into the White House on the 250-year anniversary of the Marines.
Greene also stopped short of calling herself more ‘America First’ than Trump when prompted to do so by Bash, but she did note that ‘promoting H1B visas to replace American jobs, bringing in 600,000 Chinese students to replace American students… are not America first positions.’
The Georgia Congresswoman also added that she would ‘love to see Air Force One be parked and stay home, and there be nothing but a constant focus in the White House on a domestic agenda that helps the American people once and for all,’ a knock on Trump’s involvement in making peace deals abroad.