A U.S. F-16 fighter jet recently intercepted and took down an armed Turkish drone that had been operating dangerously close to American troops in Syria. This incident occurred after multiple warnings were given to the drone to stay away from U.S. ground troops near al Hasakah in northeastern Syria. Notably, this marks the first time the U.S. has shot down a drone from Turkey, a NATO ally.
The Pentagon has described the incident as “regrettable,” but clarifies that no U.S. forces were harmed and there is no evidence to suggest that Turkey had intentionally targeted U.S. forces.
Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder expressed his disappointment, stating, “It’s regrettable when you have two NATO allies and there’s an incident like this,” during a press briefing.
According to Ryder, U.S. forces first observed several drones carrying out airstrikes near Al Hasakah at 7:30 a.m. local time in Syria. Some of these airstrikes violated the restricted operating zone and occurred approximately one kilometer away from U.S. troops, prompting them to seek shelter in bunkers.
Later, at around 11:30 a.m., a Turkish drone re-entered the restricted zone and headed towards a location near U.S. forces. The drone came within half a kilometer of the troops, and after assessing the potential threat, they decided to take “prudent action,” leading to the drone being shot down by an F-16 fighter jet at approximately 11:40 a.m.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held discussions with his Turkish counterpart regarding Turkish activities and their proximity to U.S. forces in Syria. Additionally, Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, spoke with Gen. Metin Gürak, the chief of the general staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Currently, there are about 900 U.S. troops involved in the mission to defeat ISIS in Syria. Turkey has been retaliating against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) following a suicide bombing incident in Ankara. Turkey considers the Syrian Democratic Forces, who collaborate with the U.S. in the mission against ISIS, as an extension of the PKK, which they label as a terrorist organization.
Gen. Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, rejected Turkish claims stating that the Ankara attackers originated from areas controlled by his forces in east and northeast Syria. He emphasized that his forces remain neutral in the ongoing conflict between the PKK and Turkey.
According to sources within the Syrian Democratic Forces, more than 20 Turkish airstrikes were carried out on Thursday, targeting crucial infrastructure in Kurdish-led north and east Syria (NES), including electricity, water, and oil facilities. As a result, refugees are fleeing airstrikes, while international non-governmental organization staff are withdrawing from the affected region. Consequently, the death toll from Turkish airstrikes in 2023 alone has exceeded 80.
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