Syria and the United States said Sunday that a deadly Daesh attack near the ancient city of Palmyra was intended to undermine improving bilateral relations, as the two sides reaffirmed cooperation on counterterrorism and regional stability.
The remarks came during a phone call between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a statement by Syria's Foreign Ministry.
During the call, the two top diplomats agreed that the "cowardly act" was intended to disrupt the newly developing Syrian-U.S. relationship.
Shaibani described the attack as a renewed challenge in the fight against terrorism and stressed the importance of working closely with international partners, particularly the U.S., to strengthen joint counterterrorism efforts.
The Syrian minister conveyed condolences from President Ahmad al-Sharaa to U.S. President Donald Trump and thanked Washington for its support for Syria.
Rubio reaffirmed continued U.S. support for the Syrian government, including cooperation on counterterrorism, efforts to bolster stability and steps aimed at creating conditions for economic recovery, according to the statement.
The U.S. confirmed the call and said the two discussed the attack on U.S. personnel in Syria. The State Department said Shaibani reiterated Damascus' commitment "to degrade and destroy the shared threat of ISIS", using another name for Daesh.
"The United States will hold all who hurt and threaten Americans accountable," said spokesperson Tommy Pigott as Trump vowed to inflict significant damage on those responsible for the attack.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that two U.S. troops and a civilian were killed, and three other service members were injured in an ambush by a Daesh gunman in the Palmyra desert area.
Syrian authorities launched a security operation Sunday against Daesh cells in Homs province countryside following the attack near ancient Palmyra.
U.S. forces operate in Syria as part of an anti-Daesh international coalition formed in 2014. Syria joined the coalition on Nov. 12 this year.
Since the overthrow of the former regime of Bashar Assad in December 2024, Syria's new administration has been seeking to restore security and stabilize conditions across the country.
