The U.S. Army has released the identities of the two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in action during a terrorist ambush in Syria over the weekend. Sgt. William Nathaniel “Nate” Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, died on Saturday, December 13, 2025, when an ISIS gunman opened fire on their unit in Palmyra.
Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, based in Boone, Iowa. They were supporting a “key leader engagement”—a high-level security meeting with Syrian officials—as part of the ongoing U.S. counter-terrorism mission in the region. The attack also claimed the life of a U.S. civilian interpreter and wounded three other Iowa National Guard members, two of whom have been evacuated to medical facilities in stable condition.
Sgt. Howard, a 2014 graduate of Marshalltown High School, was the son of Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn. In a heartbreaking statement, Chief Bunn shared that his son was a dedicated soldier who “would be the first in and last out, no one left behind.” Howard, who worked as a laser engraving specialist at Emerson in his civilian life, was preparing to re-enlist for his 12th year of service. He leaves behind his wife, Arianna, and a legacy of service that began when he joined the military to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.
Sgt. Torres-Tovar, described by friends and fellow service members as a “dedicated professional,” was 25 years old. His death, alongside Howard’s, marks the first combat loss for the Iowa National Guard since 2011.
The incident occurred near the historic city of Palmyra, a region that has remained volatile despite the fall of the Assad regime last year. According to U.S. Central Command, the gunman—a former member of the Syrian internal security forces recently suspected of ISIS affiliation—stormed the lunch meeting and opened fire before being killed by return fire. The ambush represents a significant “insider threat” breach and a major test for the fragile security cooperation between U.S. forces and the new Syrian government.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags across the state to be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of the soldiers’ interments. “Sgt. Howard and Sgt. Torres-Tovar served our state and nation with honor, and in doing so, gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Reynolds stated.
In Washington, President Donald Trump condemned the attack and vowed “very serious retaliation” against the ISIS remnants responsible. “We mourn the loss of three great patriots in Syria,” Trump told reporters, signaling that U.S. operations in the eastern desert would likely intensify in response to the aggression.
