President Donald Trump issued a grave threat that there will be “serious retaliation” following the killing of two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian in Syria on Saturday, and the injury of several more.
“We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“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.”
According to Trump administration officials, the two soldiers and one civilian were likely killed by an ISIS gunman, ABC News reported. Three other U.S. troops were injured during the attack, which occurred in the northern Syrian city of Palmyra.
There are as many as 1,500 U.S. troops currently deployed in Syria as part of the Trump administration's ongoing campaign to prevent the resurgence of the transnational militant organization ISIS.
Syria has seen significant instability in recent months following Israel’s invasion of the Middle East nation last year, and the subsequent ousting of its former president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.