2 Of 3 Americans Killed in Syria by ISIS Terrorist Were Members of Iowa National Guard

Latest Developments

U.S. Force Supported Anti-ISIS Coalition: The Iowa National Guard released the names of the two soldiers on December 15 who were killed in a lone terrorist ambush in the area of Palmyra, Syria, on December 13. The soldiers were identified as Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25. Howard, Torres-Tovar, and three additional soldiers who were wounded in the attack were members of the Iowa Army National Guard serving in 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, which deployed as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve — the U.S. mission to advise, assist, and enable local partner forces to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS. A third American, a civilian contractor serving as an interpreter whose name has not yet been released, was killed in the attack.
Killer Was Member of Syrian Security Forces: Syria’s Interior Ministry stated that the attacker was affiliated with ISIS and had infiltrated a meeting between Syrian forces and a delegation of the international anti-ISIS coalition. Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba confirmed that the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces, adding that he had already been under investigation since a December 10 evaluation indicated he “might hold extremist ideas.” The attacker reportedly opened fire “at the gate” of a fortified Syrian Internal Security Forces command facility before being killed by “partner forces.”
Trump Promises Retaliation: President Donald Trump vowed on December 13 that “there will be a very serious retaliation” for the attack. He added that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader, was “extremely angry and disturbed by the attack,” which happened “in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled” by Sharaa’s regime. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on X after announcing the death of the terrorist, “Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.”

FDD Expert Response

“No matter what Sharaa’s own views and policy may be, the fact that his ruling coalition is full of unrepentant jihadis made this tragic ISIS attack on U.S. forces inevitable. He can either tackle these people head-on, in which case we will likely see the ranks of ISIS swell from defections, or he can appease them, in which case the United States will face constant danger from individuals like this assassin. Rather than withdraw from Syria, the United States must force Sharaa’s government to perform far better on a range of issues in exchange for sanctions relief and the other benefits of a U.S. partnership, not for merely cooperating against ISIS.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow

“Syrian authorities have offered familiar excuses, arguing that their troops require further vetting and that the scale of recruitment makes extremist infiltration inevitable. But this explanation comes too late. The rushed integration of the security forces and the absence of accountability after two sectarian massacres attest to the new leadership’s unwillingness to meaningfully reform the security apparatus. The United States has so far ignored these warning signs, and if it continues to do so, U.S. troops stationed in Syria will face more threats in the future.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

“This attack is a tragic reminder of the fluid and dangerous environment in which American troops operate in Syria and the risks that U.S. forces, including the National Guard, continue to take in the ongoing fight against ISIS. The ‘train, advise, and enable’ model of the D-ISIS campaign is often lauded for its small ‘footprint,’ but that model can also come with risks, as U.S. forces sometimes have to depend on local partner forces for elements of their security, which reinforces the need to have reliable and trustworthy partners on the ground for the troops doing these types of operations.” — Cameron McMillan, CMPP Senior Research Analyst