Two American troops and an interpreter were killed in central Syria on Saturday after an alleged member of the Islamic State group opened fire on a joint US-Syrian patrol, officials said.

US Central Command (Centcom) announced the deaths on X after Syria's state media earlier reported that an attack in the city of Palmyra had wounded American and Syrian troops.

"An ambush by a lone Isis gunman" resulted in the deaths and injuries to three additional troops, said Centcom, which oversees the US military in the Middle East.

"The gunman was engaged and killed," it said.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the attack occurred as the soldiers "were conducting a key leader engagement" in support of counter-terrorism operations, while US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the ambush targeted "a joint US-Syrian government patrol."

"The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X.

Parnell said the identities of the deceased troops would be withheld until after their families were notified.

The incident is the first of its kind reported since Islamist-led forces overthrew long-time Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year, and rekindled the country's ties with the United States.

A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack "took place in an area where the Syrian President does not have control." (AFP)