Palmyra Attack Opens Security Accountability File in Syria.. 11 Security Personnel Detained
Palmyra Attack: Trump Vows Strong Response.. Security Implications
A Syrian security source reported on Sunday that the perpetrator of the Palmyra attack had been a member of the General Security Directorate under the Syrian Ministry of Interior for over ten months, noting that he had served in multiple cities before being transferred to Palmyra. According to the source, who spoke to Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity, more than 11 security personnel were detained and referred for investigation immediately following the incident.
The source indicated that the detentions are part of ongoing investigations to clarify the circumstances of the attack, without providing further details regarding the roles the attacker held within the security apparatus. These developments follow the armed assault that targeted a joint Syrian-American patrol during a field tour in the vicinity of Palmyra, Homs countryside.
Meanwhile, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba stated that preliminary assessments suggest the attacker may have been influenced by extremist ideologies. He clarified that the Internal Security leadership had issued prior warnings about potential attacks by ISIS, emphasizing that the perpetrator was neutralized after clashing with Syrian forces and coalition troops, and that he did not hold any leadership position within the Internal Security Directorate.
In the same context, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to respond to the attack, noting that the area where it occurred is highly dangerous and not fully under Syrian government control. He affirmed that Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar‘ expressed discontent over the incident, which resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and a civilian translator, along with injuries to several U.S. troops and two Syrian security personnel.
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