Small Wars Journal

U.S. Convoy Attacked by Pro-Government Militia in Northeast Syria

Thu, 02/13/2020 - 12:06am

U.S. Convoy Attacked by Pro-Government Militia in Northeast Syria by Sirwan Kajjo - Voice of America

A U.S. military convoy was attacked on Wednesday by pro-Syrian government militia fighters in northeast Syria, local sources and U.S. officials said.

The incident occurred in a village near the northeastern city of Qamishli.

The U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) terror group said its troops opened fire at a checkpoint manned by Syrian regime forces near Qamishli after they came under small arms fire.

“In self-defense, Coalition troops returned fire. The situation was de-escalated and is under investigation,” Col. Myles B. Caggins, a coalition spokesman, said in a statement, adding that “the Coalition patrol returned to base.”…

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U.S. Troops in Firefight in Syria After Encounter With Pro-Regime Forces by Nancy A. Youssef and David Gauthier-Villars - Wall Street Journal

A U.S.-led patrol came under fire in northern Syria after a confrontation with pro-Syria troops at a checkpoint and returned the fire, military officials said, in a rare encounter between American and regime forces.

The U.S.-led coalition in Syria was conducting a patrol Wednesday near the northern Syrian city of Qamishli when it encountered a checkpoint occupied by the pro-Syrian regime forces, said Col. Myles Caggins III, a military spokesman.

“After coalition troops issued a series of warnings and de-escalation attempts, the patrol came under small-arms fire from unknown individuals,” Col. Caggins said. “In self-defense, coalition troops returned fire. The situation was de-escalated and is under investigation.”…

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