2 US soldiers killed in Syria, Trump warns of ‘harsh retaliation’

Two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an Islamic State (IS) attack during an operation in Syria. Three more US soldiers were wounded. US President Donald Trump has warned of retaliation for the attack. According to the US Department of Defense, the incident took place during a joint operation by US and Syrian forces near the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday (December 13) local time.
The incident came less than a month after the two countries signed an agreement with the US last November to participate in the anti-IS campaign. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that the troops were meeting with local leaders when an IS gunman suddenly attacked. The attacker was killed at the scene. The names of the victims and the unit were not released.
Syrian state media reported that two members of the Syrian security forces were also wounded in the incident. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that those who target US citizens anywhere in the world will face dire consequences.
Three local officials told Reuters that the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces. However, a Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman told state television that the man did not hold any leadership position in the security forces. Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba told al-Ikhbariya TV that an assessment on December 10 showed that the man may have extremist views. A decision on the matter is expected today (December 14).
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned of retaliation for the killing of US soldiers in Syria. He warned of “harsh revenge” for the incident on his social media account Truth Social and described the victims as “three great patriots”. Speaking to reporters, he also described the incident as a “terrible” attack.

Source: NDTV