Pentagon: US Jet Shoots Down Turkish Drone In Syria

Eko Hot Blog reports that The Pentagon has revealed that a United States aircraft shot down an armed Turkish drone operating near its troops in Syria. This marks the first instance of the U.S. taking down an aircraft from its NATO ally, Turkey.

While a Turkish defense ministry official clarified that the drone did not belong to the Turkish armed forces, the owner’s identity was not disclosed. These events transpired in the wake of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency conducting strikes in Syria against Kurdish militant targets following a bomb attack in Ankara.

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder explained that Turkish drones had conducted airstrikes near U.S. troops. In response to a Turkish drone coming within half a kilometer of U.S. troops, it was deemed a threat and subsequently shot down by F-16 aircraft. Ryder emphasized that there was no indication that Turkey intentionally targeted U.S. forces.

These incidents occurred near Hasakah, northeastern Syria, where the primarily Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) plays a significant role as an ally of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Turkish counterpart, with both sides emphasizing cooperation in the fight against ISIS.

U.S.-Turkish relations have been facing challenges recently, with the U.S. hoping for Turkey’s ratification of NATO membership for Sweden. While the U.S. had not previously shot down a Turkish aircraft, tensions have flared in the past, with U.S. troops in northern Syria coming under artillery fire from Turkish positions in 2019.

General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the need for common deconfliction protocols to ensure the safety of personnel in Syria during a conversation with his Turkish counterpart.

In response to the recent bombings by Kurdish militants in Ankara, Turkish attacks in Syria have killed eight individuals. U.S. support for Kurdish forces in northern Syria has long been a point of tension with Turkey, which views them as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Turkey stated that the attackers responsible for the Ankara bombing had entered from Syria, which the Syrian Democratic Forces denied.

The Turkish defense ministry indicated that a ground operation into Syria was an option under consideration. The security forces in northeastern Syria reported multiple attacks by Turkey, including drone strikes, which killed six members of the internal security forces and two civilians.

Kurdish militants subsequently launched a rocket attack on a Turkish military base in northern Syria, injuring several officers and soldiers. Turkey has intensified its operations targeting the PKK by conducting airstrikes in northern Iraq.

Turkish officials clarified that any infrastructure and energy facilities in Iraq and Syria controlled by the PKK or YPG were considered legitimate military targets. They also urged third countries to stay away from areas controlled by these groups, emphasizing the need for precautions.

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