The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack in Syria that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group were identified Monday and remembered as dedicated soldiers.

The shooting attack in Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday struck troops deployed as part of an antiterrorism mission.

The attack occurred during “a key leadership engagement,” underscoring the increasingly complex environment in Syria after the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.