Current:Home > MarketsU.S. F-16 fighter jet shoots down an armed Turkish drone over Syria-InfoLens
U.S. F-16 fighter jet shoots down an armed Turkish drone over Syria
View Date:2024-12-23 15:32:16
A U.S. F-16 fighter jet shot down an armed Turkish drone that was operating near American troops in Syria Thursday after several warnings, according to U.S. officials.
The shoot down came after repeated communications to stay away from U.S. ground troops near al Hasakah in northeastern Syria. This is believed to be the first time the U.S. has shot down a drone from Turkey, a NATO ally.
The Pentagon called the incident "regrettable" but said no U.S. forces were injured and there are no indications Turkey intended to target U.S. forces.
"It's regrettable when you have two NATO allies and there's an incident like this," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters Thursday.
At 7:30 a.m. local time in Syria, U.S. forces observed several drones conducting airstrikes near Al Hasakah, and some of the strikes were inside a restricted operating zone and were approximately one kilometer away from U.S. troops, prompting them to take shelter in bunkers, Ryder said.
At 11:30 a.m., a Turkish drone re-entered the zone and headed toward a location near U.S. forces.
The drone was less than half a kilometer from US troops, and commanders on the ground assessed that there was a potential threat, so they took "prudent action," Ryder said. At approximately 11:40 a.m., an F-16 shot down the drone.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Turkish counterpart Thursday to discuss Turkish activity and proximity to U.S. forces in Syria, according to a readout from the Pentagon.
Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., the new Joint Chiefs chairman , also spoke with the chief of the general staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, Gen. Metin Gürak, Thursday by phone.
There are about 900 U.S. troops operating in Syria as a part of the mission to defeat ISIS.
Turkey has for the past several days been retaliating against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) for a suicide bombing that took place in Ankara Sunday. Turkey considers the Syrian Democratic Forces – who partner with the U.S. in the mission to defeat ISIS – as an arm of the PKK, which it has deemed a terrorist organization.
- In:
- Turkey
- Syria
CBS News reporter covering the Pentagon.
TwitterveryGood! (52)
Related
- These Michael Kors’ Designer Handbags Are All Under $150 With an Extra 22% off for Singles’ Day
- Border crossings closed after vehicle explosion on bridge connecting New York and Canada
- Police say some 70 bullets fired in North Philadelphia shooting that left 2 dead, 5 wounded
- Broadway costuming legend accused of sexual assault in civil suit
- GreenBox Systems will spend $144 million to build an automated warehouse in Georgia
- Cryptocurrency exchange Binance pleads guilty along with CEO to money laundering charges
- Here's what will cost you more — and less — for the big Thanksgiving feast
- See the first photo of Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' film on Netflix
- Kim Kardashian Says She's Raising Her and Kanye West's 4 Kids By Herself
- Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids Teaser Shows Dangerous Obsession
Ranking
- Teachers in 3 Massachusetts communities continue strike over pay, paid parental leave
- Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera dropped from Hollywood companies after comments on Israel-Hamas war
- What can trigger an itch? Scientists have found a new culprit
- Antoni Porowski and Kevin Harrington Break Up After 4 Years Together
- Denver district attorney is investigating the leak of voting passwords in Colorado
- Video shows flash mob steal $12,000 worth of goods from Nike store in LA
- Teachers and students grapple with fears and confusion about new laws restricting pronoun use
- Colts owner Jim Irsay needs to check his privilege and remember a name: George Floyd
Recommendation
-
Lions QB Jared Goff, despite 5 interceptions, dared to become cold-blooded
-
Maui wildfire survivors camp on the beach to push mayor to convert vacation rentals into housing
-
Truce deal raises hopes of freeing hostages in Gaza and halting worst Mideast violence in decades
-
Drama overload: Dissecting the spectacle of Ohio State-Michigan clash | College Football Fix
-
South Carolina lab recaptures 5 more escaped monkeys but 13 are still loose
-
As New York Officials Push Clean Hydrogen Project, Indigenous Nation Sees a Threat to Its Land
-
25 killed when truck overloaded with food items and people crashes in Nigeria’s north
-
Military scientists identify remains of Indiana soldier who died in German WWII battle