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JOHNSTON — Two members of the Iowa National Guard were killed and three injured Saturday in an attack in central Syria that U.S. officials have blamed on the Islamic State group, marking the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in the country in more than a year and coming on the 389th birthday of the National Guard.

Iowa and U.S. officials said the two service members, along with a U.S. civilian interpreter, were killed when a lone attacker opened fire near a military post in a region where U.S. and partner forces are conducting counterterrorism operations, the Associated Press reported .

Three additional Iowa National Guard members were wounded in the ambush, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds told report

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