Identities of Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Syria Attack Announced
Iowa National Guard Sergeants Torres-Tovar, 25, and Howard, 29, were remembered as heroes following an ISIS-linked shooting near Palmyra.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The U.S. military on Monday confirmed the identities of two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack in Syria that the Pentagon attributed to the Islamic State group.
The soldiers were named as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown. Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff, saying, “We are grateful for their service and deeply mourn their loss.”
A U.S. civilian interpreter was also killed in the attack, while three other Guard members were wounded—two in stable condition and one in good condition. The shooting occurred Saturday near the historic city of Palmyra during a lunch meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials.
Syrian authorities said the assailant, a recent base security guard suspected of ISIS ties, stormed the meeting and was subsequently killed.
The shooting occurred Saturday in the Syrian desert near the historic city of Palmyra, during a lunch meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials. Syrian authorities said the gunman, who had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base guard two months earlier, was recently reassigned amid suspicions of ISIS affiliation.
He stormed the meeting after clashing with Syrian guards and was subsequently killed, according to Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba.
Al-Baba acknowledged the incident as “a major security breach” but emphasized that in the year since Assad’s ouster, Syrian security forces have achieved “many more successes than failures.” The Pentagon confirmed the attack is under investigation, while military officials and President Donald Trump have blamed it on an ISIS operative.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered condolences on social media, stating, “The United States of America will avenge these fallen Americans with overwhelming force.”
Please join me in prayer today for the souls of our brave Army Soldiers Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, who were killed by Islamic terrorists in Syria this past weekend.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 15, 2025
Our hearts go out to their families, and we lift them up in prayer for… https://t.co/GgZC96dfBo
President Trump reiterated the promise of retaliation, telling reporters that ISIS would “be hit hard,” while also reaffirming support for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, clarifying that the Syrian government was not responsible for the attack.
“This had nothing to do with him,” Trump said of al-Sharaa, describing the area as largely outside his control. The Syrian leader, who played a key role in toppling Assad, recently visited the White House for historic talks.
The Iowa National Guard and community leaders paid tribute to the two soldiers as dedicated members of the force. Adjutant General Stephen Osborn said, “Our focus now is providing unwavering support to their families through this unimaginable time and ensuring the legacy of these two heroes is never forgotten.”
Torres-Tovar, described by childhood friend Luis Corona as selfless and a guiding presence for new recruits, had a lasting impact on his unit and family.
“I was very nervous, very new to the Army… and just to see Edgar there, it was a big relief,” Corona said. News of his death left him in “disbelief, shock, sadness, anger, just every form of distraught you can think of.”
Howard, whose military ambition was inspired by his grandfather, had served for over 11 years and was remembered as “the first in and last out” by his stepfather Jeffrey Bunn.
Howard was also a devoted husband, a man of faith, and a role model to his younger brother, a fellow Iowa National Guard staff sergeant, who will escort him home.
The attack comes as hundreds of U.S. troops remain deployed in eastern Syria as part of the coalition fight against ISIS. Observers say the incident underscores the challenges of stabilizing Syria in the post-Assad period and the ongoing risks to U.S. and coalition forces working closely with Syrian security units in volatile areas.