US names national guard members killed in Syria as Trump vows to hit Islamic State ‘hard’

The two Iowa national guard members killed in a weekend attack in Syria that the US military blamed on the Islamic State (IS) group were identified on Monday and remembered as dedicated soldiers.The US army named them as Sgt Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, has said a US civilian working as an interpreter was also killed. Three other Guard members were wounded in the attack, the Iowa national guard said on Monday, with two of them in stable condition and the other in good condition.The Iowa governor, Kim Reynolds, ordered all flags in the state to fly at half-staff in their honor, saying: “We are grateful for their service and deeply mourn their loss.”The attack was a major test for the rapprochement between the US and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago, coming as the US military is expanding its cooperation with Syrian security forces. Hundreds of American troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS.The shooting on Saturday in the Syrian desert near the historic city of Palmyra also wounded members of the country’s security forces, and the gunman was killed. The assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, a Syrian official said.The man stormed a meeting between US and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards, an interior ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.The spokesperson acknowledged that it was “a major security breach”. The army are investigating the incident.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday paid tribute to Torres-Tovar and Howard. “Our hearts go out to their families, and we lift them up in prayer for strength and comfort during this time of grief,” he posted on social media. “The United States of America will avenge these fallen Americans with overwhelming force.”Trump reiterated his promise of retaliation from over the weekend, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that IS will “be hit hard”.He also reaffirmed his support for the Syrian president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying the Syrian government is not to blame for the deadly attack.“This had nothing to do with him,” Trump said of al-Sharaa. “This is a part of Syria that they really don’t have much control over. And it was a surprise. He feels very badly about it. He’s working on it. He’s a strong man.”Torres-Tovar and Howard were on Monday remembered as “cherished members” of the Iowa national guard family, Stephen Osborn, adjutant general, said in a statement. “Our focus now is providing unwavering support to their families through this unimaginable time and ensuring the legacy of these two heroes is never forgotten.”Torres-Tovar’s defining trait was his selflessness, according to childhood friend Luis Corona, who also enlisted in the Iowa unit. Corona learned of his friend’s death while reading the news.Howard had wanted to be a soldier since he was a young boy, said Jeffrey Bunn, Howard’s stepfather.Howard “loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out,” Bunn posted on social media.