By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington DC [US], December 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Saturday pledged “very serious retaliation” after an ISIS gunman ambushed and killed two US soldiers and one civilian interpreter in Syria, calling the attack a strike against both the United States and Syria.
Speaking at the White House, Trump described the victims as “three great patriots” and said the nation mourns their loss. Asked whether the US would respond, he said plainly, “Yes, we will retaliate.” He reiterated the warning on Truth Social: “There will be very serious retaliation. 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.”
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the Dec. 13 shooting took place during counter-terrorism operations near Palmyra. The lone gunman was engaged and killed by US and partner forces. Three other US soldiers were wounded and are recovering. The identities of the deceased will be withheld for 24 hours pending notification of next of kin.
Trump said Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was “extremely angry and disturbed” by the attack, which occurred in a “very dangerous part of Syria” not fully under government control. The United States has roughly 900 troops deployed in Syria as part of ongoing operations against Islamic State militants.
The shooting came weeks after al-Sharaa met with Trump at the White House. Al-Sharaa became interim president after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government last year; Assad later fled to Russia. Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member previously detained by US forces in Iraq, had his global terrorist designation lifted by Trump ahead of their meeting. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
