Trump vows retaliation for attack on Syrian-American patrol

Washington will take revenge on those responsible for the attack on a Syrian-American patrol in Syria, US President Donald Trump announced.

During a Christmas reception at the White House, he stated that although the perpetrators had captured one individual, substantial damage would be dealt to those responsible, Caliber.Az reports.

Following the attack, the US State Department announced it would hold accountable those responsible, after a phone call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Syrian transitional government Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. 

Al-Shaibani offered condolences and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to weakening and eliminating the shared threat from ISIS, with the US emphasising it will take action against anyone harming or threatening Americans.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), on December 13, 2025, two US soldiers and an American civilian interpreter were killed and several others wounded when a lone gunman linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) opened fire on a joint US–Syrian patrol near Palmyra during a counter‑ISIS security mission. 

The patrol was part of ongoing counter‑terrorism operations in a region still unstable and known for ISIS remnants, with US forces working alongside Syrian counterparts after years of conflict. 

Pentagon and coalition officials said the attacker was subsequently engaged and killed by partner forces, underscoring persistent extremist threats despite prior territorial defeats of ISIS in Syria. 

Syrian authorities later indicated the gunman had been a member of Syrian security forces who was due to be dismissed for extremist ties before the incident, raising concerns about infiltration and local security vetting. 

By Jeyhun Aghazada