Gunfire Wounds Syrian, US Forces During Joint Patrol Near Palmyra

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: SANA

Syrian and US forces were wounded in a shooting during a joint patrol near Palmyra.

Syrian interim government forces and US military personnel were wounded on Friday after coming under gunfire during a joint patrol near the city of Palmyra in central Syria, according to Syrian state media and US officials.

A source cited by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said the attack occurred while the joint force was conducting a field patrol in the area. Two members of the Syrian interim forces and several US personnel were injured, while the assailant was killed during the incident.

Following the shooting, traffic on the Deir ez-Zor–Damascus international highway was temporarily halted, and heavy aerial activity was reported over the area as interim forces moved to secure the site.

The source added that US helicopters evacuated the wounded to the al-Tanf military base in southeastern Syria, where US forces maintain a presence near the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border.

Strategic Realignment

The incident comes amid a broader shift in Syria’s political landscape following the rise of a new administration under Ahmad al-Sharaa, which has pursued closer coordination with Washington. This marks a significant departure from the previous government’s position, which had formally rejected the US military presence as an illegal occupation.

Despite this political realignment, regional observers continue to argue that the US deployment in Syria extends beyond the stated objective of countering ISIS. They contend that Washington’s sustained military footprint, particularly around al-Tanf and in eastern Syria, is tied to control over key transit corridors and oil- and gas-rich areas, as well as leverage over Syria’s post-war economic and security arrangements.

Entrenched Occupation

Although ISIS was defeated as a territorial entity years ago, US forces have remained in place, even consolidating their presence at select strategic locations. Critics argue that the normalization of US military activity under the new administration risks legitimizing a presence that has coincided with prolonged economic pressure, restricted access to national resources, and the continued erosion of Syrian sovereignty.

Recent developments confirm these concerns, as Washington has signaled no intention to withdraw its forces from Syria. Instead, US troops have consolidated their presence around strategic nodes such as al-Tanf and parts of eastern Syria, while expanding coordination with the new authorities and maintaining influence over key border crossings and energy-rich areas.

These moves come amid discussions in Washington over easing certain sanctions, a shift that critics argue is designed less to restore Syrian sovereignty than to reshape post-war Syria under US strategic and economic priorities.