The Pentagon reported that US Special Forces near the Syrian border town Kobani, came under artillery fire from Turkish positions on Friday.
No US troops were injured. However, US officials later indicated the troops were forced to move out and vacate their Syrian positions as a result.
Citing a senior Pentagon official and an Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official, Newsweek reported that the attack on US soldiers unfolded as they were conducting operations on Mashtenour hill, in the Kurdish-majority city of Kobani.
The Newsweek outlet reports that the incident came just as US Defense Secretary Mark Esper assured media during a news conference that US forces had been relocated, and that Turkish forces know US positions “down to the grid.”
In a statement Friday evening, Pentagon officials confirmed US troops in the vicinity of Kobane had come under artillery fire originating from Turkish positions.
The United States remains opposed to the Turkish military move into Syria outside the Security Mechanism zone and in areas where the Turks know US forces are present. The US demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action.
the Turkish Defense Ministry has issued a statement, noting that it has taken all measures to ensure that no US base in the area is struck while Turkish forces respond to counter fire near US bases in northern Syria.
Turkey began its military operations in northeastern Syria against Kurdish forces on October 9 in an effort to clear the border regions of terrorists and create a safe zone for Syrian homeless refugees to turn back to.
Sputnik / ABC Flash Point News 2019.
