US President Donald Trump has said that a terror attack by Daesh in central Syria that killed US troops had "nothing to do" with the country’s president, saying the Syrian government was not responsible for the assault.
"This had nothing to do with the Syrian government. This had to do with ISIS (Daesh)," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He said the attack occurred in an area where the Syrian government had limited control.
"This is a part of Syria that they really don’t have much control over," he added.
The ambush took place in the countryside of Homs over the weekend, killing two US troops and a civilian contractor.
US Central Command said three other US service members were wounded in the attack near Palmyra.
Trump described Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa as a "strong man" who "feels very badly about" the incident.
He said al Sharaa was working to address security threats in the country and vowed that Daesh would be "hit hard" in response to the attack.
Long-term peace
Asked why US troops remain deployed in Syria, Trump said Washington’s presence was aimed at ensuring long-term peace in the Middle East.
"We’re trying to make sure that there’s going to be and remain peace in the Middle East, and Syria is a big part of it," he said.
"The new leader is a strong person, and that’s what you need. This is a rough part of the world."
The Pentagon says the United States maintains about 1,000 troops in Syria as part of the US-led coalition fighting Daesh.
Following the attack, al Sharaa sent a message of condolence to Trump, expressing solidarity with the families of the victims and reaffirming Syria’s commitment to security and stability.
Syrian security forces later launched an operation in the Homs countryside, arresting five suspects accused of links to Daesh.
