Three U.S. service members and a civilian translator were killed in an attack near Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, Pentagon officials said.
Pentagon Reports Fatal Attack Near Palmyra
On Saturday, Dec. 13, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said three U.S. citizens—a pair of Army soldiers and a civilian translator—were killed and three others wounded in an attack near Palmyra, about 200 km northeast of Damascus.
Parnell, writing on X, explained that the soldiers were conducting operations aimed at establishing contact with key leaders to support ongoing counter‑terrorism efforts when the attack occurred. Names of the deceased will remain confidential until their families are notified.
Defense Secretary Issues Retaliation Threat
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted on X that the attacker was neutralized by coalition forces and warned that anyone who attacks Americans “anywhere in the world” will face relentless pursuit and execution by the United States.
Syrian Agency Confirms Joint Patrol and Evacuations
SANA reported that U.S. soldiers were under fire during a joint patrol with Syrian forces. The incident halted traffic on the highway between Deir ez‑Zor and Damascus, and U.S. helicopters flew wounded personnel to the al‑Tanf base on the Iraq border.
Syria Marks Anniversary of Assad’s Ouster
Thousands of Syrians marked Dec. 8 last year, the day Islamist fighters toppled President Bashar al‑Assad after 25 years in power. The civil war and ensuing destruction forced about a million refugees back home, yet damaged infrastructure, unemployment and soaring prices keep many in extreme poverty.
Humanitarian groups say 16.5 million Syrians—70 percent—now need assistance, and water shortages are severe in refugee camps. A commission on missing persons still has unanswered questions for families of political prisoners, while human‑rights advocates warn that without accountability, new violence could erupt.