US shoots down Turkish drone in Syria

A Turkish Defense Ministry official said the downed plane did not belong to the Turkish armed forces, but did not say which force it belonged to.

On Thursday, a source from Turkey's security agency revealed that Turkey's National Intelligence Service carried out several attacks on Kurdish military targets, following the bombing in Ankara last weekend.

Turkish airstrikes destroyed 30 Kurdish military targets in northern Syria on Thursday night, including an oil well, a storage facility and several bunkers, and “neutralized” several soldiers, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said the Turkish drone was detected carrying out an attack in Hasakah, Syria, early Thursday morning about 1km from where US troops were stationed. Hours later, a Turkish aircraft flew within 0.5km of the US troops, was deemed a threat and was shot down by an F-16.

“We have seen no indication that Türkiye intentionally targeted US forces,” Mr. Ryder said.

Hasakah is located in northeastern Syria and the People's Protection Units (YPG), with a large Kurdish population, is the spearhead force in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (also known as Daesh).

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called his Turkish counterpart, a call that Mr Ryder said was productive.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said that Minister Yasar Guler, when discussing with Mr. Lloyd Austin, said "Türkiye is ready to join the US in combating Daesh".

“Both ministers emphasized the importance of close cooperation between the United States and Türkiye in operations conducted in this region.”

US-Türkiye relations are at a delicate stage, as the US still expects Türkiye to ratify Sweden's request to join NATO.

While the US has never shot down a Turkish aircraft, there have been several instances of escalation and close calls. In 2019, US troops in northern Syria came under artillery fire from Turkish positions.

The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Q. Brown, discussed with his Turkish counterpart “the need to closely follow the deconfliction method to ensure the safety of soldiers on both sides in Syria.”

World - US shoots down Turkish drone in Syria — Photo: North Press Agency/via REUTERS.

Türkiye attacks Syria

Syrian Kurdish forces allied with the US say Turkish attacks have killed eight people since Kurdish soldiers bombed Ankara.

US support for Kurdish forces in Syria has long been a source of tension between the US and Turkey, which views the forces as part of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing in Ankara.

Türkiye said on Wednesday that the two attackers came from Syria. The bombing killed both attackers and wounded two police officers. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed Kurdish force, denied allowing the two bombers to travel through its territory.

A Turkish Defense Ministry official said on Thursday that a ground operation in Syria was an option the agency could consider. Türkiye has carried out several incursions into northern Syria against the Syrian Kurdish YPG.

“Our only goal is to destroy the terrorist organization that threatens Türkiye. A ground operation is an option that can be considered to destroy this source of threat, but it is not our only option.”

Security forces in northeastern Syria said Türkiye carried out a series of attacks on Thursday, with more than 15 drones flying into the region’s airspace, hitting several targets including infrastructure and petrol stations. In a statement, the security forces said the Turkish strikes killed six members of the internal security forces in northeastern Syria and two civilians in two separate attacks.

Late Thursday, Kurdish soldiers launched a missile attack on a Turkish military base in northern Syria, wounding five policemen and three soldiers.

Türkiye has stepped up its operations against the PKK, through airstrikes in northern Iraq.

Turkish officials say any infrastructure and energy facilities in Iraq and Syria controlled by the PKK and YPG are legitimate military targets.

“PKK and YPG are one and the same terrorist organization, they are legitimate targets. Türkiye has carried out operations in all necessary places and times in the past. These operations will be continued if necessary again,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said.

Türkiye has warned third-party forces to avoid areas controlled by the PKK and YPG.

“We are sending a message to our allies, especially our allies and friends, to stay away from the terrorists. This is a reminder. They are the ones who have to make the necessary preparations.”

Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)

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