US fighter jet downs NATO ally's drone

Washington: A United States fighter jet has shot down an armed Turkish drone operating in close proximity to American troops in Syria.

This incident marks the first time that the U.S. has engaged a drone belonging to a NATO ally, according to Pentagon reports.

The Pentagon spokesperson, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, confirmed the incident, explaining that Turkish drones had been conducting airstrikes in the Syrian city of Hasaka, merely a kilometer away from U.S. military personnel.

Later on, the Turkish drone ventured dangerously close to American soldiers, coming within half a kilometer of their position.

To mitigate the perceived threat, an F-16 fighter jet swiftly intercepted and brought down the Turkish drone.

The city of Hasakah, located in northeastern Syria, is primarily inhabited by the Kurdish People's Protection Units, a key force in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS.

In response to the incident, a Turkish Defense Ministry official clarified that the downed drone did not belong to the Turkish armed forces but refrained from disclosing the owner of the drone.

This episode unfolds against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the region, with Turkish intelligence launching attacks on Kurdish militant bases in Syria in response to a bomb attack in Ankara.

Turkish airstrikes carried out on Thursday night resulted in the destruction of 30 positions, including an oil well, a storage facility, and shelters, as confirmed by the Turkish Defense Ministry.

In the aftermath of these developments, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached out to his Turkish counterpart.

The Turkish Defense Ministry disclosed that Minister Yasser Guler conveyed Turkey's readiness to collaborate with the United States in the fight against ISIS.

?

US F-16 fighter jet shot down a Turkish Anka-S drone over Syria.

It's the first time ever that the U.S. shoots down a Turkish aircraft.

Will Turkey, a NATO member, invoke Article 5?

Is this the end of the NATO alliance? pic.twitter.com/IE0WHfCYmM

— HawkEye (@hawkkeyee_) October 5, 2023