Trump vows 'serious retaliation' after gunman kills two soldiers, one civilian at US base in Syria

US President Donald Trump has promised a “very serious retaliation” on Saturday after two US troops and one civilian were killed in an ambush attack in Syria that Washington believes was executed by the Islamic State group, better known as ISIS.

A lone gunman opened fire at a US military base near historic Palmyra, injuring three other US soldiers in the attack.

“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,” said Trump in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“This was an ISIS attack against the US, and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,” he continued.

Trump said he has been in contact with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who the US president said was angry at this attack and pledged his armed forces support in any US countermeasure.

“The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation,” announced Trump.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said the soldiers were members of the Iowa National Guard, where she, too, once served.

“Our Iowa National Guard family is hurting as we mourn the loss of two of our own and pray for the recovery of the three soldiers wounded,” she said.

In a written statement shared on her X account, Ernst said the soldiers had been deployed to Syria to perform a critical mission of “combatting the threat of ISIS” and keeping the US safe from the threat of “radical Islamic terror.”

She added that she supports Trump’s stance, noting that any attack on the US or its forces, at home or abroad should be responded to with the full force of the US military.

“This tragic attack is a reminder that freedom is not free and that every American owes an enormous debt of gratitude to our brave men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line every day,” wrote Ernst.

The US Central Command said the lone gunman behind this attack was killed at the scene in central Syria. Syrian officials said the attack also injured members of the Syrian security forces as well.

The attack on US troops in Syria was the first with fatalities since the fall of longtime strongman President Bashar al-Assad a year ago.

The shooting took place near historic Palmyra, according to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, which earlier said two members of Syria’s security force and several US service members had been wounded.

The casualties were taken by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said in a statement that the names of the deceased soldiers are being withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications are complete.

“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” she said.