US Troops Under Fire at Syrian Checkpoint

U.S. forces exchanged fire with pro-Syrian government militia fighters after their vehicles were stopped at a checkpoint in northeastern Syria, Wednesday, February 12.

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.”