Syrian Who Killed U.S. Soldiers Was Member of Security Forces, Officials Say

A Syrian gunman, who killed two U.S. soldiers and an American interpreter in Palmyra, Syria on Saturday, was a member of the Syrian security forces. According to Syrian and U.S. officials, the gunman was scheduled to be dismissed from his position due to extremist views identified in a recent evaluation. The attack, which also wounded three other American service members and two Syrian security forces, marked the first U.S. casualties in Syria since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad a year ago. While ISIS is suspected of carrying out the attack, the group has not claimed responsibility. The gunman infiltrated a meeting between Syrian forces and a U.S.-led coalition delegation, though the exact circumstances of his access remain unclear.

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