ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The American civilian killed in an ambush on Saturday alongside two US troops in central Syria was a Christian from the Kurdistan Region working with US forces, a US military source in Syria told Rudaw, adding that the attack took place during a meeting with Syrian defense ministry-affiliated forces in Homs province.
Two US soldiers and a civilian were killed in an ambush in Syria’s central Homs province, while three other American soldiers and two Syrian security members were wounded, according to the Pentagon and Syrian state media.
The American civilian killed in the ambush was a Christian from the Kurdistan Region, a US military source in Syria told Rudaw on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The US team that was attacked was based at the al-Tanf base, located in the tri-border area between Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. According to the same source, the team was in Tadmur (Palmyra), east of Syria’s central Homs province, for a meeting with Syrian armed forces affiliated with the Syrian defense ministry.
The source added that the attack took place during the meeting.
Meanwhile, a Pentagon official, also speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity, said that "the area where the incident occurred was not under the control of the Syrian [interim] President," Ahmed al-Sharaa, although forces loyal to him were present at the meeting.
Reuters cited three local officials as saying that "the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces.”
Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba told state-run al-Ikhbariya TV that an assessment issued on December 10 regarding the perpetrator indicated that he may hold extremist ideas, adding that a decision regarding him was scheduled to be issued “tomorrow, as it is the first day of work in the week,” but the attack happened before the assessment could take place.
He said the attacker “does not have any command designation within Internal Security, and is not classified as a companion to the Internal Security commander,” denying contradicting reports
“There are more than five thousand personnel affiliated with the Internal Security command in the desert, and there are weekly assessments of personnel, and based on these assessments, measures are taken,” he said.
The spokesperson also said that security forces had “issued prior warnings” to US forces about a potential ISIS attack, noting that “The international coalition forces did not take the Syrian warnings… into account.”
Reactions
“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 President Donald Trump said in a post on X.
“There will be very serious retaliation,” he added.
Meanwhile, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said in a post on X that “We welcome the strong commitment of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who shares our ironclad resolve to identify, pursue, and hold accountable the perpetrators of this attack. Together we will eradicate terrorism in Syria.”
Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said in a post on X that “We express our regret” over the injuries and wished a speedy recovery to “public security personnel and US soldiers” wounded in the attack “while performing their duties.”
The SDF is the de facto military force in Rojava and has been the main US ally against ISIS in Syria for the past decade.
“The increase in these attacks requires greater resolve and the exertion of joint efforts at the national level in counterterrorism operations and against its cells,” Abdi said.
In a separate statement, the SDF general command said it “extends its deepest condolences to its partners in the U.S. Army and the people of the United States of America.”
“We strongly condemn this terrorist attack, we affirm that our forces, in full partnership with our allies in the International Coalition, will not allow terrorist organizations to reorganize their ranks or to threaten the security of the region and the world once again,” the statement said.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces have proven their ability to uproot ISIS and dismantle its military structure in northern and eastern Syria. Today, we reaffirm our full readiness to combat terrorism across the entire Syrian territory and eradicate its hideouts wherever they exist, without hesitation or retreat,” it added.
On March 10, Abdi and Sharaa signed a landmark agreement aimed at integrating all civil and military institutions in northeast Syria (Rojava), including the SDF, under state authority and establishing a nationwide ceasefire.
Talks to implement the agreement have continued since March, though disputes remain over how integration should be carried out. While the SDF has advocated for integrating its forces as a unified bloc, Damascus has favored absorbing fighters individually into regular army units.
The SDF and Damascus have since traded accusations of targeting each other’s positions.
Diyar Kurda contributed to this report.
Updated at 11:53 pm.