{"id":1170,"date":"2025-12-18T16:58:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T16:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/duye.live\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2025-12-18T16:58:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T16:58:50","slug":"u-s-army-names-2-iowa-national-guard-members-killed-in-attack-in-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/duye.live\/?p=1170","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack<\/a> in Syria that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group were identified Monday and remembered as dedicated soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Army named them as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WATCH:<\/strong> Trump addresses deadly attacks in Syria, Australia and Rhode Island at Christmas reception<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor, saying that, \u201cWe are grateful for their service and deeply mourn their loss.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon\u2019s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, has said a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter also was killed. Three other Guard members were wounded in the attack, the Iowa National Guard said Monday, with two of them in stable condition and the other in good condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attack was a major test for the rapprochement between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago, coming as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with Syrian security forces. Hundreds of American troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the attack happened<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The shooting Saturday in the Syrian desert near the historic city of Palmyra also wounded members of the country\u2019s security forces, and the gunman was killed. The assailant had joined Syria\u2019s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, a Syrian official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba said Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Baba acknowledged that it was \u201ca major security breach\u201d but said that in the year since Assad\u2019s fall, \u201cthere have been many more successes than failures\u201d by security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army said Monday that the incident is under investigation. Military officials and President Donald Trump have blamed the attack on an IS member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump administration vows retaliation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur hearts go out to their families, and we lift them up in prayer for strength and comfort during this time of grief,\u201d Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday on social media. \u201cThe United States of America will avenge these fallen Americans with overwhelming force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump reiterated his promise of retaliation from over the weekend, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that IS will \u201cbe hit hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also reaffirmed his support for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying the Syrian government is not to blame for the deadly attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis had nothing to do with him,\u201d Trump said of al-Sharaa. \u201cThis is a part of Syria that they really don\u2019t have much control over. And it was a surprise. He feels very badly about it. He\u2019s working on it. He\u2019s a strong man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump welcomed al-Sharaa, who led the lightning insurgency that toppled Assad\u2019s rule, to the White House for a historic meeting last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iowa National Guard members remembered as heroes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Torres-Tovar and Howard were remembered as dedicated soldiers and \u201ccherished members\u201d of the Iowa National Guard family, Stephen Osborn, adjutant general, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur focus now is providing unwavering support to their families through this unimaginable time and ensuring the legacy of these two heroes is never forgotten,\u201d Osborn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howard had wanted to be a soldier since he was a young boy, according to Jeffrey Bunn, Howard\u2019s stepfather and chief of the Meskwaki Nation Police Department in Tama, Iowa, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northeast of Des Moines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howard \u201cloved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out,\u201d Bunn wrote Saturday on the department\u2019s Facebook page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howard also was a loving husband and an \u201camazing man of faith,\u201d Bunn said, adding that Howard\u2019s younger brother, a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard, would escort \u201cNate\u201d back to Iowa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Howard was inspired by his grandfather\u2019s service and wanted to serve for 20 years, according to an April post on a Facebook page dedicated to sharing stories of the unit. He had served for over 11 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three fellow members of the Iowa Guard who were deployed with Torres-Tovar reflected on his character in a joint statement to local TV broadcast station, WOI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Hernandez, Freddy Sarce\u00f1o and Luis Corona described him as \u201cvery positive,\u201d family oriented and always putting others first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fingerhut reported from Des Moines. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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