📰 Palmyra gunman was Syrian security member set for dismissal

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s Interior Ministry stated on Sunday that the gunman who killed three Americans in the Palmyra region a day earlier was a member of the Syrian security troops who was about to be dismissed for holding extremist views. Two U. S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed on Saturday in what Damascus described as a “terrorist attack” in central Syria.

Washington, for its part, stated the assault was carried out by an ISIS militant who was later killed. Noureddine al-Baba, Interior Ministry spokesman of the Syrian transitional administration, informed Syrian state television that authorities had already decided to dismiss the attacker from the security troops for embracing “extremist Islamist ideas,” with the move scheduled to take place on Sunday. A Syrian security official informed AFP that 11 members of the general security forces were arrested and brought in for questioning following the attack.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the gunman had served in the security forces for more than 10 months and had been stationed in multiple cities before being transferred to Palmyra. Syrian state media declared that two Syrian security personnel were also wounded. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus “strongly condemns the terrorist attack. ” In November, Damascus officially joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, following Syrian Transitional leader Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington.

By Jwan Shekaki