President Trump vowed to respond Saturday after an attack on US and coalition forces killed three US service members in Palmyra, Syria.
“We will retaliate,” Trump said, asked by reporters about the incident as he left the White House Saturday to attend the Army-Navy football game.
“We mourn the loss of three great patriots in Syria. We know how it happened. It was an ambush — terrible,” Trump said.
“We also have three wounded that seem to be doing pretty well,” he added. “But we mourn the loss, these are three great people. And it’s just a terrible thing.”
He said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was “fighting along with us” and was devastated by what happened. “This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria. We mourn the loss and we pray for them and the parents and their loved ones.”
Three Americans including two US Army soldiers were killed in Palmyra, during the ambush when an attacker opened fire on their desert patrol.
Two Syrian military personnel were injured, according to Syrian media.
“Today in Palmyra, Syria, two United States Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed, and three were wounded,” said Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
“The attack occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement. Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism,” he added.
He said the soldiers’ names and other information was being withheld until 24 hours after the notification of their next of kin.
