These are the Americans killed in Syria (CNN) — Four Americans were killed in a suicide bombing this week in Syria. They were an interpreter, an Army chief warrant officer, a Navy chief cryptologic technician and a Defense Department civilian. Wednesday’s blast, believed to have been carried out by ISIS, occurred in the northern city of Manbij and left 14 people dead, including the Americans. Service members were “conducting a routine patrol” at the time of the explosion, the US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve said. The Pentagon identified three of those killed, while a government contractor named the fourth American victim. The bombing, the result of a “suicide improvised explosive device,” also killed eight civilians and two fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a senior commander from the Manbij military council told CNN. Three other US service members were injured in the attack. The Americans killed were: Jonathan Farmer Courtesy Department of Defense Jonathan R. Farmer Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer, 37, was from Boynton Beach, Florida. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He joined the Army in 2005. Farmer served on six overseas combat tours, including in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, the US Army Special Operations Command said. He was in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 and 2009, Operation New Dawn in 2010, Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012 and Operation Inherent Resolve in 2018 and 2019. His awards included a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Farmer is survived by his spouse, four children and his parents. Shannon Kent Family Handout/U.S. Navy Shannon Kent Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon M. Kent, 35, was from upstate New York. She was a sailor assigned to Cryptologic Warfare Activity 66, based at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. “She was a rock star, an outstanding chief petty officer and leader to many in the Navy Information Warfare Community,” said Cmdr. Joseph Harrison, commanding officer of CWA-66. Kent graduated from Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains, New York, in 2001. Principal Tara Grieb remembered her as “an honor student and a wonderful person.” “Our district is extremely proud of her and her service and we support her family 100% in their time of sorrow,” Grieb said. Kent enlisted in the Navy in 2003. Her awards included the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal, according to the US Fleet Cyber Command/US 10th Fleet. “Chief Kent’s drive, determination and tenacity were infectious. Although she has left us way too soon, she will not be forgotten, and her legacy will live on with us,” said Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collections) Denise Vola, CWA 66’s command senior enlisted leader. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Kent had followed in the steps of her father, New York State Police Col. Stephen J. Smith, when she joined the military. “We owe her our eternal gratitude for her selfless dedication and sacrifice. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones,” Cuomo said in a statement. Ghadir Taher Mary Trachian-Bradley Ghadir Taher Ghadir Taher, 27, was in Syria working with the Army as an interpreter for defense contractor Valiant Integrated Services, her family said. The interpreter from East Point, Georgia, and her brother moved to the United States in 2001. She graduated from Tri-Cities High School and attended Georgia State University for two years before getting an associate degree through an online school. Her brother, Ali Taher, said she had a kind heart and was used to hard work. She held multiple jobs at one point and even started her own business. “She loved what she did. She was very passionate,” he said of his sister’s work abroad. “She said it was hard, but she was good at it and very happy doing it.” Taher had worked for Valiant Integrated Services for less than a year, her brother said. In a statement, a Valiant spokesman described her as “a talented and highly respected colleague loved by many.” Scott Wirtz department of defense Scott A. Wirtz Scott A. Wirtz dedicated more than a decade to serving his country. The 42-year-old from St. Louis enlisted in the military in 1997 and served in the US Navy and as a Navy SEAL until 2005. His awards included the SEAL Insignia, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism. After some time away from the military, Wirtz began working with the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2017 as an operations support specialist, the agency said. He was collaborating with troops in Syria to collect information about security and adversaries in the area. He had completed three deployments in the Middle East, it said. Wirtz’s mother, Sandy, said her son would always talk about service with his dad, but when he wasn’t working, “He lived life to the fullest.” When she heard about the attack, Sandy Wirtz quickly sent her son “Scottie” a text. He would usually respond immediately, she said. This time she received no response. “At 3 p.m. that afternoon I sent another text and didn’t hear back. … I went to bed that night and didn’t think I’d be able to sleep,” she said. “At midnight we got the knock on the door. Call it a mother’s intuition, I knew it was about him.” Scott Wirtz had spent Christmas with his parents in Missouri before traveling back to Syria before New Year’s Eve. In a statement, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley Jr. described Wirtz as a patriot. “This is a stark reminder of the dangerous missions we conduct for the nation and of the threats we work hard to mitigate,” Ashley said. “As President Lincoln described on the fields at Gettysburg, this officer gave the last full measure of devotion.” CNN’s Hollie Silverman, Marlena Baldacci, Barbara Starr, Augusta Anthony and Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this report.<doc-sep>The status of the fight against the Islamic State has come under renewed scrutiny after President Trump’s surprise Dec. 19 withdrawal announcement. Initially, the president declared that the group had been defeated and said U.S. troops would be coming home immediately. But senior officials, facing widespread criticism from allies and lawmakers, have since softened that characterization and said troops will exit in a manner that allows them to ensure the militants are fully beaten.<doc-sep>Manbij, Syria is a U.S. patrolled city in Syria. But the comparative order of the city was shaken on Wednesday by a deadly suicide bombing, for which ISIS has claimed credit. Purported footage showing the moment of that attack was released on Twitter and aired by CNN not long after the news broke (below) There is no official toll, but most press reports, citing a war monitor, put the deaths between 16 and 19. The Department of Defense has not released a statement on Americans killed or injured, but Operation Inherent Resolve confirmed on Twitter that Americans are among the dead. Inherent Resolve is the U.S.-lead Coalition fighting ISIS in Syria. Most press reports state that two or four Americans were killed, with possibly others injured. U.S. service members were killed during an explosion while conducting a routine patrol in Syria today. We are still gathering information and will share additional details at a later time. — OIR Spokesperson (@OIRSpox) January 16, 2019 White House press secretary Sarah Sanders issued a brief statement Wednesday morning: “The President has been fully briefed and we will continue to monitor the ongoing situation in Syria. For any specific questions please contact the Department of Defense.” ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing on their propaganda website Amaq. The terror group claims the suicide bomber used a vest lined with explosives and detonated it himself in the market. The bombing took place at a market in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, and was apparently caught on film. CNN has a clip of the moment of the attack. Warning: The following video contains sensitive content and may not be suitable for some viewers. Please be advised this includes graphic footage of an attack during which at least one person died and many more were injured. Just three days ago, President Donald Trump tweeted that the “long overdue pullout” of U.S. troops from Syria had begun. Last month, the President said that ISIS had been defeated. This is a developing story and may be updated as new information becomes available. Watch the clip above, courtesy of CNN. [(Featured Photos by /AFP/Getty Images)] — Follow Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) on Twitter Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>A terrifying video shows the moment an ISIS suicide bomber killed two US soldiers and two American contractors in a horrific attack in Syria. Authorities confirmed that a Department of Defense civilian worker and one contractor supporting the DoD were killed. Vice president Mike Pence paid tribute to the dead Americans - but also claimed that the 'ISIS caliphate has been crushed' despite the deaths. Pence first made the claim in a State Department speech and doubled down on it in an afternoon statement invoking President Donald Trump. According to local reports, the soldiers were inside the restaurant when the bomber detonated the device outside. Three other soldiers were also injured. The video shows civilians walking down a street near what is believed to be a restaurant just moments before the bomb goes off. In the video, civilians were thrown to the ground by the blast as others are seen running for their lives. A terrifying video shows the moment an ISIS suicide bomber killed two US soldiers and two American civilians in a horrific attack in Syria. The video shows civilians walking down a street near what is believed to be a restaurant just moments before the bomb goes off According to local reports, the soldiers were inside the restaurant when the bomber detonated the device outside A US official who declined to be named confirmed the casualties after the explosion. Only two servicemen had been killed prior to Wednesday's blast, along with two non-combatants. It comes after President Donald Trump ordered US troops to withdraw from the country, claiming ISIS had been defeated. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 people died in total including at least nine civilians while dozens more were wounded. ISIS propaganda agency Amaq said the terror group was responsible for the attack. 'A suicide attack carried out with an explosives vest hit an international coalition patrol in the city of Manbij,' the organization said via social media. Civilians were thrown to the ground by the blast as others are seen running for their lives (pictured) The attack marks the biggest single loss of life by US force during the Syrian war. Only two servicemen had been killed prior to Wednesday's blast, along with two non-combatants Other video from the scene showed a coalition helicopter landing to take the injured away. One of the men was said to have been 'very seriously' hurt while the other escaped with non-life-threatening injuries'. Photos showed blood plastered along the restaurant's pillars when the smoke from the explosion finally settled. The blast comes as the U.S. begins withdrawing from Syria following Trump's shock announcement that he was bringing all troops home. Photos showed blood plastered along the restaurant's pillars when the smoke from the explosion finally settled A total of 16 people, including at least nine civilians, were killed in the blast according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Ground equipment started being withdrawn from the country last Thursday, according to CNN, with the exact timetable for full withdrawal unclear. While Trump has made it clear that all 2,000 troops would be leaving with Turkey taking over the fight against ISIS, other administration officials have been less clear. John Bolton, Trump's National Security Adviser, said the US would not leave until it had received guarantees from Turkey that its Kurdish allies would not be attacked. The attack's timing was seen by critics of the pullout as evidence that it should be stopped - but Pence claimed hours after a bloody attack in Syria on U.S. forces that America and its allies had 'crushed' the terror group known as ISIS. Pence first made the claim in a State Department speech and doubled down on it in an afternoon statement invoking President Donald Trump. 'President Trump and I condemn the terrorist attack in Syria that claimed American lives and our hearts are with the loved ones of the fallen,' Pence wrote. 'We honor their memory and we will never forget their service and sacrifice.' He went on to say: 'We have crushed the ISIS caliphate and devastated its capabilities. As we begin to bring our troops home, the American people can be assured, for the sake of our soldiers, their families, and our nation, we will never allow the remnants of ISIS to reestablish their evil and murderous caliphate – not now, not ever.' Vice President Mike Pence claimed hours after a bloody attack in Syria on U.S. forces that America and its allies had 'crushed' the terror group known as ISIS Earlier on Wednesday, after news of the attack had spread, he had claimed in a Washington, D.C. at the Global Chiefs of Mission Conference that ISIS had been defeated. 'Thanks to the leadership of this commander in chief and the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces, we’re now actually able to begin to hand off the fight against ISIS in Syria to our coalition partners, and we are bringing out troops home,' Pence said. 'The caliphate has crumbled and ISIS has been defeated.' A statement from the White House press secretary handled the matter more delicately. 'Our deepest sympathies and love go out to the families of the brave American heroes who were killed today in Syria. We also pray for the soldiers who were wounded in the attack. Our service members and their families have all sacrificed so much for our country,' Sarah Sanders said. The deaths prompted a forceful statement from Republican senator Lindsey Graham Wednesday faulting Trump for having 'set in motion' enthusiasm by the enemy in Syria. Graham's dramatic statement associating Trump's words with the bloody attack Americans came from a loyalist who has golfed frequently with the president, although he has also tried to the president out of a policy he has called dangerous to Americans. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, Graham briefly stopped the proceedings to condemn the attack and call out the president for his words. 'I'm glad you mentioned Iraq and other places where we're fighting to help people,' Graham said at the hearing about Trump's attorney general nominee William Barr.<doc-sep>
(CNN) — The Department of Defense has identified three of the four Americans killed in Syria on Wednesday, and the fourth, a contractor, was named by her company. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer, 37, of Boynton Beach, Florida; Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon M. Kent, 35, of upstate New York; and DOD civilian Scott A. Wirtz of St. Louis, Missouri were killed Wednesday in the explosion in Manbij, Syria, according to the Department of Defense. All three died “as a result of wounds sustained from a suicide improvised explosive device,” according to the military. The fourth individual was identified in a statement from a spokesperson for her company, Valiant, as Ghadir Taher of East Point, Georgia. “We are extremely saddened by the tragic and senseless passing of Ghadir Taher. … She was a talented and highly-respected colleague loved by many who will be dearly missed,” said Tom Becker, the head of the New York office for Sitrick and Co., which does public relations for Valiant. Taher worked as an interpreter for the Army through Valiant, according to her brother Ali Taher. “She loved what she did. She was very passionate,” he told CNN on Friday. “She said it was hard, but she was good at and it and very happy doing it.” Family Handout/U.S. Navy Shannon M. Kent, 35, who was killed Jan. 16, 2019, in Manbij, Syria, while assigned to Cryptologic Warfare Activity 66, supporting Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve. (U.S. Navy/Released) Kent was a sailor assigned to Cryptologic Warfare Activity 66, based at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Farmer served on six overseas combat tours and was a decorated soldier awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Courtesy Department of Defense Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Farmer, 37, of Boynton Beach, Florida died of wounds sustained during an attack while conducting a local engagement in Manbij, Syria, January 16, 2019. Wirtz, a former US Navy SEAL, was an intelligence expert in Syria with the troops hoping to collect information about security and adversaries in the area. The bombing is still under investigation. CNN reported Thursday that the US initial assessment is that ISIS is responsible for the bombing. The explosion in the northern city of Manbij Wednesday killed the four Americans and at least 10 other people. Eight civilians and two fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were killed in the blast, a senior commander from the Manbij military council told CNN. The US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve said Wednesday that the service members were “conducting a routine patrol” at the time of the explosion. Three other US service members were injured in the attack. The attack came less than a month after President Donald Trump announced that US troops would withdraw from Syria. This story has been updated. CNN’s Sophie Tatum contributed to this report.