Syria Arrests Five Suspects Linked to Attack on US and Syrian Forces in Palmyra

Syrian authorities have apprehended five suspects believed to be connected to the shooting incident that resulted in the deaths of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the central city of Palmyra on Saturday. According to the Syrian Interior Ministry, the assailant, who was fatally shot after the attack, was part of Syrian security forces and allegedly held extremist views sympathetic to Islamic State (ISIS).

The attack targeted a joint convoy of American and Syrian forces operating in the area. Syria’s Interior Ministry confirmed the arrest operation was conducted in cooperation with international coalition forces, with the detained individuals promptly placed under investigation.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently visited the White House, underscoring Syria’s ongoing collaboration with the US-led coalition against ISIS. The Interior Ministry revealed that the assailant had been evaluated just days before the attack, with concerns about his extremist leanings noted and decisions on his status pending at the time.

The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke by phone with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on Sunday to discuss the incident. A State Department spokesperson quoted Shibani expressing condolences and reiterating Damascus’s commitment to combating ISIS threats.

The US-led coalition has intensified air strikes and ground operations targeting ISIS entities within Syria in recent months, often working alongside Syrian security units. Last month, Syrian forces conducted a nationwide campaign leading to the arrest of over 70 individuals suspected of ISIS affiliations.

US troops have maintained a presence in northeastern Syria as part of a long-term campaign to defeat ISIS, which controlled significant territories in Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2019.

Following a prolonged civil war, the Syrian government is now led by former rebel groups that toppled Bashar al-Assad last year. This coalition includes elements formerly linked to Al Qaeda who have since distanced themselves and opposed ISIS.

This latest attack highlights ongoing security challenges in the region as international and Syrian forces continue to collaborate against persistent extremist threats.