Conflicts

Two US Soldiers Killed in Syria Identified

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Dec 15, 2025

THE BARE STORY

Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an attack near Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday, December 13. The Army has identified the deceased soldiers as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29. Both were members of the Iowa National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the incident, which occurred while the soldiers were participating in a meeting with local partners as part of counter-ISIS operations.

The Pentagon stated an ISIS gunman was responsible for the ambush. The Secretary of War and the Pentagon confirmed the attacker was killed. In a separate statement, President Donald Trump told reporters the perpetrator had been captured. The Army confirmed the incident is under investigation. According to Syria’s Ministry of Interior, a security operation coordinated with coalition forces resulted in the arrest of five suspects.

President Trump vowed "very serious retaliation" and described the deceased as "great patriots." Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated the U.S. would avenge the deaths with "overwhelming force." In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds ordered flags to be flown at half-staff and issued a statement honoring the soldiers' sacrifice.

The soldiers were deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. A Pentagon official noted that approximately 1,000 U.S. forces are currently in Syria for the counter-ISIS mission. Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, the Iowa National Guard's adjutant general, said the organization’s focus is on supporting the soldiers’ families.

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• U.S. officials gave conflicting reports about the attacker's fate. The Pentagon and the Secretary of War stated that the ISIS gunman responsible for the ambush was killed. In a separate statement, however, President Trump told reporters that the perpetrator had been captured, creating a direct contradiction in the official account.

• Syrian authorities reported the arrest of multiple suspects. According to a statement from Syria’s Ministry of Interior, a coordinated security operation with coalition forces led to the arrest of five suspects. This report of multiple arrests differs from the U.S. officials' focus on a single perpetrator.

• The incident is officially under investigation by the U.S. military. The U.S. Army confirmed that the fatal ambush is currently under investigation. This ongoing review indicates that the complete circumstances surrounding the attack, including the number of assailants and their ultimate status, are not yet fully established.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• Increased U.S. military action in Syria is possible, as officials have vowed "very serious retaliation" and the use of "overwhelming force" in response.

• The attack may prompt a re-evaluation of the U.S. counter-ISIS mission, potentially affecting the deployment of the approximately 1,000 service members currently in Syria.

• Conflicting reports from U.S. and Syrian officials about the attacker’s fate may create public uncertainty regarding the details of overseas military operations.

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