Four Americans were among 15 people killed on Wednesday in a suicide bombing in northern Syria that was claimed by the Islamic State, just weeks after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of United States forces and declared that the extremist group had been defeated. The attack targeted a restaurant in the northern city of Manbij where American soldiers would sometimes stop to eat during their patrols of the area, residents said. After the blast, a number of Americans were evacuated by helicopter, they said. It was not immediately clear how many had been in the area at the time of the blast. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 15. A statement by United States Central Command said the explosion happened while the troops were “conducting a local engagement.” Two American troops, a contractor and a civilian were killed; three American troops also were injured. Read more https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/world/middleeast/isis-attack-syria-troops.html
