Gov. Reynolds, Iowa National Guard leader confirm two Iowans killed in Syria

Two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed, three wounded in ISIS attack in Syria

AND THAT BREAKING NEWS COMES FROM THE METRO AREA. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS IS SPEAKING AT THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD JOINT FORCES HEADQUARTERS. WE JUST LEARNED MINUTES AGO THE TWO SOLDIERS KILLED IN SYRIA TODAY ARE MEMBERS OF THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD. WE WANT TO LISTEN IN RIGHT NOW. SYRIA CAME UNDER ATTACK. TWO OF OUR SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN ACTION. THREE OTHERS WERE WOUNDED IN ACTION AND ARE RECEIVING CARE. OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY TODAY, AND OUR PRAYERS AND DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ARE WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE LOVED ONES OF THESE SOLDIERS. I LEARNED OF THE ATTACK AROUND 9 A.M. THIS MORNING AT 11:30 A.M. I JOINED MAJOR GENERAL OSBORNE, BRIGADIER GENERAL MCCLINTOCK, AND OTHER IOWA NATIONAL GUARD LEADERS HERE AT THE JOINT FORCES HEADQUARTERS FOR A SECURE BRIEFING ON THE SITUATION BY THE COMMANDER ON THE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE EAST. MAJOR GENERAL OSBORNE WILL PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT INFORMATION WILL BE LIMITED OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS. NEXT OF KIN HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT AT THIS TIME WE WILL NOT RELEASE THE NAMES OF THE SOLDIERS KILLED OR WOUNDED. EARLIER, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF THE TWO SOLDIERS WHO WERE KILLED AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY ARE DEVASTATED. I ASK THAT ALL IOWANS STAND UNITED IN SUPPORTING THEM AND LIFTING THEM UP IN PRAYER DURING THIS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TIME. PLEASE PRAY ALSO FOR THE FAST AND FULL RECOVERY OF OUR WOUNDED SOLDIERS. AND AT THIS TIME, LET’S REMEMBER ALL OF OUR IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SERVICE MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SERVED SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE SOLDIERS KILLED AND WOUNDED TODAY. THE SECOND BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, 34TH INFANTRY INFANTRY DIVISION, CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AT THE SAME TIME, EVERYONE WHO WEARS THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD UNIFORM. I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT THIS IS A FAMILY. I’VE SEEN THEM CLOSE UP WORKING TOGETHER IN ANY NUMBER OF CHALLENGING SITUATIONS, AND THEY SHARE A DEEP BOND. TODAY’S ATTACK AND THE LOSS OF TWO OF THEIR OWN, WEIGHS HEAVILY ON EVERYONE AT EVERY LEVEL. SO PLEASE KEEP ALL OF THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AND WITH THAT, I’D ASK MAJOR GENERAL OSBORNE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MAJOR. THANK YOU. GOVERNOR. WELL, GOOD EVENING. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES, THE FRIENDS AND THE TEAMMATES OF OUR FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS. OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGIC LOSS. AND AS THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED, ALL NEXT OF KIN HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED ON DECEMBER 13TH, TWO IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS AND ONE U.S. CIVILIAN WERE KILLED, AND THREE ADDITIONAL IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WERE INJURED AS A RESULT OF AN AMBUSH CONDUCTED BY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A LONE ISIS GUNMAN IN SYRIA. THE ATTACKER WAS THEN ENGAGED, ENGAGED BY US AND PARTNER SYRIAN FORCES AND WAS KILLED. AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK, US PERSONNEL WERE CONDUCTING A KEY LEADER ENGAGEMENT. THEIR MISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF ONGOING COUNTER ISIS AND COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN THE REGION, AND THIS INCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. OUR FORCES IN SYRIA OPERATE AS PART OF COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE US CENTRAL COMMAND IN 2014 TO ASSIST, ADVISE AND ENABLE PARTNER FORCES TO FIGHT ISIS. WHILE ISIS IS CONVENTIONAL, MILITARY CAPABILITY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DEPLETED FOLLOWING ITS TERRITORIAL DEFEAT IN 2019. ITS FIGHTERS REMAINED DISPERSED ACROSS THE REGION AND CONTINUE TO POSE A THREAT. OUR SOLDIERS WERE DOING THEIR JOB SERVING WITH COURAGE, DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM. THEY CARRIED OUT THEIR MISSION TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THEIR INCREDIBLE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND STRONG AS A TEAM, UNITED IN THE PURPOSE AND RESOLVE OF THEIR MISSION. AT THIS TIME, OUR FOREMOST PRIORITY IS OUR PEOPLE. OUR FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS, FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES ARE INJURED. SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR FELLOW TEAMMATES. AND AGAIN, AS THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO RELEASE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TOMORROW ONCE 24 HOURS PASS. AFTER WE’VE COMPLETED NOTIFICATION OF THE NEXT OF KIN. AND I’LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO GOVERNOR. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE’D OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. ARE YOU ABLE TO SORT OF CATEGORIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES OF THOSE WHO WERE INJURED? ONE INJURY WAS WAS SUPERFICIAL. THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN EVACUATED BACK TO BASE AND AND IS BEING TREATED. THE OTHER TWO INJURIES WERE SIGNIFICANT. THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE IN A HOSPITAL IN IN AMMAN, JORDAN, AT THE JORDANIAN AIR BASE. THEY ARE STABLE IN CRITICAL CONDITION, BUT BOTH STABLE AND BOTH HAVE MADE PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THAT. I DON’T THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE HAD PEOPLE IN SYRIA RIGHT NOW. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY IOWA GUARDSMEN ARE THERE? GENERAL, I’M GOING TO DEFER TO THE GENERAL ON THAT QUESTION. OUT OF THE ROUGHLY 1900 SOLDIERS THAT WE DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST, BACK IN JUNE, WE’VE GOT ABOUT 250 THAT ARE THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN JORDAN OR, EXCUSE ME, IN SYRIA RIGHT NOW, 200. 200 TO 250. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SAY ABOUT THE CIVILIAN, IS THE CIVILIAN WORKING WITH THE CIVILIAN? WAS A CONTRACTOR AT LINGUISTS CONTRACTED LINGUIST WHO WAS WORKING WITH OUR PEOPLE? YES, BUT NOT FROM IOWA. BONAIR WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT YOU TRY TO ASK, GOVERNOR, HOW YOU TRY TO TALK TO THESE? WELL, YOU KNOW, I’VE REACHED OUT TO HIM. IT’S DEVASTATING. IT’S HARD ENOUGH TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR LOVED ONES DURING THE HOLIDAY HOLIDAYS, TO HAVE THEM DEPLOYED, LET ALONE HAVE HIM HAVE THEM KILLED IN ACTION. AND I’VE OFFERED OUR CONDOLENCES. WE I’VE GIVEN THEM MY CELL PHONE NUMBER. SO IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED FROM US THAT THEY CAN CALL US, CALL ME NIGHT OR DAY, AND WE’LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP. TO HELP MEET THE NEED. THEY ALSO THE GUARD HAS A CASUALTY ASSISTANCE TEAM THAT WILL MEET WITH THE FAMILIES AND BE THERE UNTIL THEY NO LONGER NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE, AND THEY’RE ALREADY MEETING WITH THEM AND READY TO STEP UP TO ASSIST THEM IN ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN. BUT AND IT SAID THAT I WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH THEM IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS WELL, JUST TO CHECK IN AND SEE HOW THEY WERE DOING. I’M SORRY. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW DO WE HELP SUPPORT THOSE WHO SURVIVE THEIR WOUNDED? TEAMWORK TO THEY COME BACK TO THE STATES? CAN YOU BRING THEIR FAMILIES TO THEM? IF ANYTHING NEEDS THAT, THEY WILL BE LESS. THEY’LL. THE US HOSPITAL AND LAUNCH STOOL. GERMANY WILL THEY’LL RECEIVE MORE TREATMENT EVENTUALLY. YES. THEY WILL BE EVACUATED BACK TO MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY OR HOSPITAL. BACK IN THE UNITED STATES. ONCE THEY DO GET TO GERMANY, THE FAMILIES WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY. IF THEY’RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR SOME TIME, THE FAMILIES WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO GERMANY AND LINK UP WITH THEIR THEIR SOLDIER. BUT IT’S ALL DEPENDENT ON HOW STABLE THEY ARE FOR THAT TYPE OF TRAVEL. DO WE KNOW HOW LONG IT’S BEEN SINCE BEFORE THIS? SINCE WE’VE LOST A IOWA GUARD MEMBER OVERSEAS, THE LAST IOWA GUARD MEMBER TO BE KILLED IN COMBAT WAS IN JULY OF 2011. A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF TERRY PASKER WAS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN JUST AS WE WERE. WE WERE ENDING THE ENDING THAT MISSION AND ROTATING OUT. WE’VE HAD ANOTHER IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SERVICE MEMBER DIE ON DEPLOYMENT IN GUANTANAMO BAY. PFC MATTHEW COX, TO A DROWNING INCIDENT. BUT THOSE ARE THE LAST TWO THAT WE’VE HAD. PERISH IN OUR DEPLOYMENTS. SO THE JULY 2011, THAT WAS WHERE IN AFGHANISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN. WELL, AGAIN, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT IOWANS KEEP THESE FAMILIES AND THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS DURING THIS REALLY DIFFICULT TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. JUST COMING BACK IN. WE ARE LEARNING TONIGHT, JUST IN THE LAST 20 MINUTES THAT THE TWO OF THE THREE PEOPLE KILLED, THE SOLDIERS KILLED IN SYRIA TODAY, TWO OF THEM ARE MEMBERS OF THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD. THE OTHER PERSON WHO PASSED WAS A CIVILIAN, NOT WITH IOWA, BUT STILL JUST AS SAD. WE’VE ALSO LEARNED FROM THIS PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THREE OTHER IOWA GUARD MEMBERS WERE ALSO INJURED. THEY ARE RECEIVING CARE. ONE OF THEM IS BACK AT BASE, TWO OF THEM RIGHT NOW, AS MAJOR GENERAL STEPHEN OSBORNE SHARED WITH US, ARE AT A HOSPITAL. THEY ARE IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION, HE SAYS. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYING THAT SHE LEARNED ABOUT THIS AT THIS THIS MORNING AS SHE HAS TAKEN THAT TIME TO TAKE PART IN THE BRIEFING AS WELL AS SHARE WHAT, OF COURSE, HAPPENED WITH THE FAMILIES HURT, TELLING US THAT SHE DID REACH OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF UNFORTUNATELY, THE GUARD WHO PASSED AND THOSE WHO WERE INJURED AND MADE SURE TO MAKE CONTACT. WE WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ATTACK. ACCORDING TO U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND, THE ATTACK WAS CARRIED OUT BY A LONE ISIS GUNMAN. THE SOLDIERS MISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF ONGOING COUNTER ISIS COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATIONS IN THE REGION. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH SAID THE ATTACKER WAS KILLED BY A PARTNER. FORCES. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS PROMISING RETALIATION FOR THE ATTACK. NOW IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR RITA HART CALLED THE NEWS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING. SHE SAYS, QUOTE, NATIONAL GUARD REPRESENTS THE BEST OF US CITIZENS, ALWAYS READY TO PROTECT AND SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS. MAY THE FAMILIES OF THESE BRAVE IOWA SOLDIERS KNOW THAT THE ENTIRE STATE OF IOWA GRIEVES FOR THEM AND SENDS OUR SINCEREST SYMPATHIES TO THEM FOR THEIR UNBELIEVABLE LOSS. AND IOWA STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND POSTED THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING, QUOTE, PRAYING FOR THE TWO FAMILIES OF THE TWO IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WHO WERE KILLED IN SYRIA TODAY. A REMINDER OF ALL THAT OUR NATIONAL GUARD SACRIFICED TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AND FREEDOM. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ALSO SHARING. WE MOURN THE LOSS OF THREE GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOTS IN SYRIA, TWO SOLDIERS AND ONE CIVILIAN INTERPRETER. LIKEWISE, WE PRAY FOR THE THREE INJURED SOLDIERS WHO IT HAS JUST BEEN CONFIRMED, ARE DOING WELL. AND, OF COURSE, HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAYING WE MOURN THE LOSS OF TWO U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS AND AN AMERICAN INTERPRETER IN SYRIA. WE ARE PRAYING FOR THEIR FAMILIES, FOR THE WOUNDED, AND FOR ALL OUR MEMBERS STANDING WATCH

Two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed, three wounded in ISIS attack in Syria

Updated: 8:16 PM CST Dec 13, 2025

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has confirmed two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers were killed and three others wounded in action during an attack in Syria early Saturday morning. One U.S. civilian was also killed in the attack, which IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn called an “ambush” by a “lone ISIS gunman.”In a press conference at the Iowa National Guard Joint Headquarters on Saturday evening, Reynolds said she learned of the attack around 9 a.m. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division currently serving in the Middle East.The names of the Iowa soldiers who were killed and wounded have not yet been released, pending notification of their families, the governor said.”Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” she said.Osborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement. “The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said. Three Iowa National Guard soldiers wounded in attackThree other IANG soldiers were wounded in the attack, Osborn said.One of the injuries was described as “superficial” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment.The other two injuries were “significant” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.”They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” Osborn said.Once the wounded soldiers are stabilized, they will be transported to the U.S. Army medical hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, to continue to recover. Depending on the length of their recovery, their families may have an opportunity to visit them while in Germany.The U.S. civilian who was killed was a contracted linguist working with the soldiers, but was not from Iowa, Osborn said.Iowa Army National Guard soldiers deployed in Middle EastRoughly 1,900 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers deployed to the Middle East as part of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve over the summer, Osborn said. Of those, about 200 to 250 are currently in Syria.”Our soldiers were doing their job, serving with courage, dedication and professionalism,” Osborn said. “They carried out their mission to the best of their ability and we are proud of their incredible service and sacrifice, and we will continue to stand strong as a team united in the purpose and resolve of their mission.Reynolds: ‘It’s devastating’Reynolds said she’s been in contact with the families of the soldiers who were involved.”It’s devastating,” she said. “It’s hard enough to be away from your loved ones during the holidays, to have them deployed, let alone have them killed in action.” Watch: Officials’ reaction to ambush in Syria that killed two Iowa National Guard membersIowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in SyriaIowa Army National Guard leader: ‘Soldiers were … serving with courage, dedication’» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayReplay: News conference on KCCI’s YouTube page

JOHNSTON, Iowa —

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has confirmed two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers were killed and three others wounded in action during an attack in Syria early Saturday morning. One U.S. civilian was also killed in the attack, which IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn called an “ambush” by a “lone ISIS gunman.”

In a press conference at the Iowa National Guard Joint Headquarters on Saturday evening, Reynolds said she learned of the attack around 9 a.m. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division currently serving in the Middle East.

The names of the Iowa soldiers who were killed and wounded have not yet been released, pending notification of their families, the governor said.

“Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” she said.

Osborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement.

“The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said.

Three Iowa National Guard soldiers wounded in attack

Three other IANG soldiers were wounded in the attack, Osborn said.

One of the injuries was described as “superficial” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment.

The other two injuries were “significant” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.

“They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” Osborn said.

Once the wounded soldiers are stabilized, they will be transported to the U.S. Army medical hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, to continue to recover. Depending on the length of their recovery, their families may have an opportunity to visit them while in Germany.

The U.S. civilian who was killed was a contracted linguist working with the soldiers, but was not from Iowa, Osborn said.

Iowa Army National Guard soldiers deployed in Middle East

Roughly 1,900 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers deployed to the Middle East as part of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve over the summer, Osborn said. Of those, about 200 to 250 are currently in Syria.

“Our soldiers were doing their job, serving with courage, dedication and professionalism,” Osborn said. “They carried out their mission to the best of their ability and we are proud of their incredible service and sacrifice, and we will continue to stand strong as a team united in the purpose and resolve of their mission.

Reynolds: ‘It’s devastating’

Reynolds said she’s been in contact with the families of the soldiers who were involved.

“It’s devastating,” she said. “It’s hard enough to be away from your loved ones during the holidays, to have them deployed, let alone have them killed in action.”

Watch: Officials’ reaction to ambush in Syria that killed two Iowa National Guard members

Iowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria

Iowa Army National Guard leader: ‘Soldiers were … serving with courage, dedication’

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