Syria arrests five after deadly attack on U.S.–Syrian convoy in Palmyra

Syria has arrested five people suspected of having links to a deadly attack on a joint U.S.–Syrian convoy in the central town of Palmyra on Saturday, the country’s Interior Ministry said.

Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed when an attacker opened fire on the convoy before being shot dead by security forces.

Syrian authorities said the assailant was a member of the country’s security forces and was suspected of sympathising with Islamic State (ISIS).

The Interior Ministry said its units carried out a targeted operation in Palmyra in coordination with U.S.-led coalition forces, resulting in the arrest of five suspects who were immediately referred for questioning.

Officials added that the attacker had been assessed just days before the attack, and authorities had noted he might hold extremist views. A decision on his future had been pending.

The incident comes about a month after Syria reached an agreement with the U.S.-led coalition to cooperate against ISIS, coinciding with President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House.

Syrian authorities said the attack took place amid ongoing operations to combat extremist groups, including a nationwide campaign last month in which more than 70 people with alleged links to ISIS were arrested.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on Sunday. A State Department spokesperson said Shibani “offered condolences and reiterated the commitment of the Syrian government to degrade and destroy the shared threat of ISIS.”

The U.S. has maintained troops in northeastern Syria for more than a decade to fight ISIS, which controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2019.

Syria’s current government is led by former rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad last year after a 13-year civil war, including former members of Al Qaeda who later clashed with ISIS.

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