Syrian Forces Kill Three Westerners, Including American Woman [Report]

Syrian forces reportedly killed three Westerners, including an American woman, while they were fighting with opposition forces. The news was reported on Syrian state television, SANA.

SANA reported that an American woman and a British national, along with a third unidentified person, were killed in the province of Idlib, in northwestern Syria.

The three were apparently ambushed by forces loyal to the Syrian government while in their car. Government forces have been battling with Syrian rebels for control of the province.

TV footage of the scene showed a bullet-riddled car, along with three laid-out bodies. Also shown in the footage were weapons, a computer, a map of a government military facility, and a flag bearing the crest of the al-Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliated Islamist militant group.

A State Department official commented on the allegations, saying:

“We are aware of the case. As we do in all such cases, we are working through our Czech protecting power in Syria to obtain more information, and we appreciate the efforts of the Czech mission on behalf of our citizens.”

If the report is true, it would not be the first time a US citizen has been seen fighting on the side of the Syrian rebels. A former US soldier was arrested in March and charged with illegally using a weapon to help the al-Nusra Front. The man, Eric Harroun, was arrested by the FBI after he returned to the US from Syria.

The Justice Department has said that al-Nusra is responsible for more than 600 attacks in Syria, where rebels have been fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s government for more than two years. The report of three Westerners killed in the Middle Eastern country also comes on the same day as a leader of the country’s main rebel coalition hinted that the group may not attend peace talks scheduled for next month.

The American woman’s identity has not been confirmed by the State Department. However, reports say that she lived in Flint, Michigan.

[Image via ShutterStock]