Syria Arrests Five Suspects After Deadly Attack on U.S. and Syrian Troops in Palmyra

Syrian authorities have arrested five individuals suspected of having links to a deadly shooting that targeted U.S. and Syrian troops in the central Syrian city of Palmyra, according to a statement released by the Interior Ministry on Sunday. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, resulted in the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter after an assailant opened fire on a joint convoy of American and Syrian forces. The attacker was later killed by security personnel.

The Syrian Interior Ministry identified the assailant as a member of Syria’s own security forces who was suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State. Officials said the suspect had been assessed only days before the attack and was believed to hold extremist views, though a final decision regarding his status had not yet been made at the time of the incident.

In a coordinated operation carried out in Palmyra with the support of international coalition forces, Syrian security units arrested five suspects believed to be connected to the attack. The Interior Ministry confirmed that all five individuals were immediately referred for questioning as part of an ongoing investigation.

The attack has drawn high-level diplomatic attention. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on Sunday to discuss the incident. According to the U.S. State Department, Shibani offered condolences and reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to combating Islamic State, also known as ISIS, which remains a shared security threat.

Syria has recently increased cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, following an agreement reached last month during President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House. Joint efforts have included air strikes, ground operations, and intelligence sharing aimed at dismantling ISIS networks. In a nationwide campaign last month, Syrian authorities arrested more than 70 people accused of having ties to the group.

The United States continues to station troops in northeastern Syria as part of a decade-long mission to defeat Islamic State, which controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2019. Syria’s current government, led by former rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad after 13 years of civil war, has emphasized its intent to stabilize the country and eliminate extremist threats.