Two National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter killed in Syria attack return home as Trump meets with grieving families.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

President Donald Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday to honor two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter killed in an attack in Syria over the weekend. Trump met privately with the families of the fallen before the dignified transfer of their remains.

The Fallen

The two Iowa National Guard members killed in the Saturday attack were:

  • Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines.
  • Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.

Both served in the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment and were hailed as heroes by the Iowa National Guard.

A U.S. civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, 58, of Macomb, Michigan, was also killed. Three other Iowa National Guard members were injured in the attack.

Dignified Transfer Ceremony

The dignified transfer is a solemn military ritual for service members killed in action. Trump, who has called the ceremony “the toughest thing I have to do“ as president, stood in silence as the flag-draped transfer cases were carried from a C-17 military aircraft to a waiting vehicle. The remains will later be transported to Iowa for burial.

Families and Tributes

  • Howard’s stepfather, Jeffrey Bunn, described him as a “loving husband” and “amazing man of faith” who “loved what he was doing” and was “the first in and last out.” Howard’s brother, a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard, will escort him home.
  • Torres-Tovar was remembered as a “very positive, family-oriented” soldier who “always put others first.”
  • Ayad Mansoor Sakat, the interpreter, was a former U.S. Army interpreter during the Iraq War (2003–2007). His daughter, Dina Qiryaqoz, described him as a “devoted father and husband” who “believed deeply in the mission he served.” Sakat immigrated to the U.S. in 2007 on a special visa and worked as a contractor for Valiant Integrated Services.

Trump’s Response

Trump mourned the deaths and vowed retaliation for the attack. He noted that the most recent U.S. combat deaths before this incident occurred in January 2024, when three troops were killed in a drone strike in Jordan.

The Saturday attack followed a U.S.-Syria rapprochement, with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa—who met with Trump at the White House last month—condemning the attack. Trump stated that al-Sharaa was “devastated” by the incident and that the attack was not linked to the Syrian leader.

Trump’s History at Dover

During his first term, Trump attended dignified transfer ceremonies for:

  • A Navy SEAL killed in Yemen (2017).
  • Two Army officers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan (2019).
  • Two Army soldiers killed in Afghanistan (2020) by an attacker in an Afghan uniform.

The Iowa National Guard and state leaders, including Governor Kim Reynolds, joined the families at Dover. The remains of Torres-Tovar and Howard will be returned to Iowa for burial.

The Pentagon has not yet identified the three injured Iowa National Guard members. The U.S. troops in Syria are part of a coalition fighting ISIS.

Original article
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