US names national guard members killed in Syria as Trump vows to hit Islamic State ‘hard’ | Islamic State
Two Iowa national guard members killed in a weekend attack in Syria that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State (IS) group were identified Monday and remembered as dedicated soldiers.
The U.S. military identified them as Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said a US civilian working as a translator was also killed. The Iowa national guard said Monday that three other Guard members were injured in the attack, two in stable condition and the other in good condition.
Iowa governor Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in his honor, saying: “We are grateful for their service and deeply saddened by their loss.”
The attack was a major test of rapprochement between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad a year ago, at a time when the US military is expanding cooperation with Syrian security forces. Hundreds of American troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of the coalition fighting ISIS.
The country’s security forces were also injured and the gunman was killed in an armed attack that took place near the historical city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert on Saturday. A Syrian official said the attacker joined the Syrian internal security forces two months ago as a base security officer and was recently reassigned amid suspicions that he might have ties to ISIS.
The man burst into a meeting between US and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards, an interior ministry spokesman said on Sunday.
The spokesman acknowledged this was a “major security breach”. The army is investigating the incident.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paid tribute to Torres-Tovar and Howard on Monday. “Our hearts go out to their families and we lift them up in prayer for strength and solace in this time of pain,” he said on social media. “The United States of America will avenge these martyred Americans with overwhelming force.”
Trump repeated his promise of retaliation over the weekend, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that ISIS will be “hit hard.”
He also reiterated his support for Syrian President Ahmed Al Shara, saying the Syrian government was not responsible for the deadly attack.
“This has nothing to do with it,” Trump said of Al Shara. “This is a part of Syria where they don’t have a lot of control. And it was a surprise. He feels very bad about it. He’s working on it. He’s a strong man.”
Torres-Tovar and Howard were remembered Monday as “valued members” of the Iowa national guard family, Adjutant Gen. Stephen Osborn said in a statement. “Our focus now is to provide unwavering support to their families during this unimaginable time and to ensure that the legacy of these two heroes is never forgotten.”
According to childhood friend Luis Corona, who also joined the Iowa unit, Torres-Tovar’s defining characteristic was his dedication. Corona learned that his friend had died while reading the news.
Howard’s stepfather, Jeffrey Bunn, said Howard wanted to be a soldier since he was little.
“Howard loved what he did and would be the first in and the last out,” Bunn said on social media.
