The United States Army has publicly named the two Iowa National Guard soldiers who lost their lives during a weekend assault in Syria, an attack military officials have attributed to the Islamic State group.
Fallen Soldiers Identified and Honoured
The Department of Defense confirmed the deceased on Monday, 15 December 2025. They are Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, from Des Moines, and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, from Marshalltown.
In response to the tragic news, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds directed all flags across the state to be flown at half-staff. The Governor expressed profound gratitude for their service and stated that the state “deeply mourns their loss.”
The Pentagon's chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, also confirmed that a civilian interpreter working for the United States was killed in the same incident. The Iowa National Guard added that three other Guard members sustained injuries. Two are reported in a stable condition, with the third said to be in good condition.
Details of the Palmyra Attack
The shooting occurred on Saturday near the historic city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert. According to Syrian officials, the assailant was a member of the country's internal security forces who had been hired as a base security guard just two months prior.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba stated the gunman had been recently reassigned due to suspicions of possible affiliation with the Islamic State. The attacker stormed a meeting where American and Syrian security officials were sharing a meal, opening fire after an initial clash with Syrian guards.
Al-Baba described the event as “a major security breach,” but defended the overall record of Syrian forces since the fall of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago. The gunman was killed during the incident, which also wounded members of the Syrian security forces.
Political Repercussions and Investigation
This attack presents a significant challenge to the ongoing rapprochement between the United States and Syria. It comes as US military cooperation with Syrian security forces is expanding, with hundreds of American troops remaining deployed in eastern Syria as part of the coalition against IS.
President Donald Trump vowed over the weekend that “there will be very serious retaliation” for the assault. He noted that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was “devastated by what happened,” emphasising Syria's role as an ally fighting alongside US troops. President al-Sharaa, who led the insurgency that toppled Assad, was welcomed to the White House for a historic meeting last month.
The US Army has confirmed that the incident is under investigation, though military officials have already pointed the finger at the Islamic State group.
