Trump vows 'big damage' for perpetrators after ISIS attack killed 3 Americans

US president says offenders will face consequences after ambush near Palmyra

ISTANBUL 

US President Donald Trump on Sunday vowed to inflict significant damage on those responsible for an ISIS (Daesh) attack in Syria that killed two American troops and one civilian.

"I can tell you, in Syria, there will be a lot of big damage done to the people that did it," Trump said: "They got the person ... but there'll be big damage done."

Two US troops and a civilian were killed and three service members were injured Saturday in an ambush by an ISIS gunman in Syria, US Central Command (CENTOM) said. Media reports indicated two Syrian security personnel were also injured.

“The gunman was engaged and killed,” the CENTOM said.

Syrian authorities launched a security operation Sunday against ISIS cells in the Homs province countryside following the attack.

US forces operate in Syria as part of an anti-ISIS international coalition formed in 2014. Syria joined the coalition on Nov. 12.