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US officials have been quick to open communication lines with the Republic of Türkiye after an American F-16 shot down a Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle in Syria.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III and Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler have reportedly discussed the incident which took place on 5 October.
The Turkish UAV was allegedly shot down after being observed conducting airstrikes in a US-restricted operating zone about a kilometre from US forces in Hasakah, Syria, according to the US DOD.
Some of the strikes were alleged to have occurred within a declared US-restricted operating zone.
“At approximately 11:30 local time, a Turkish UAV re-entered the ROZ on a heading toward where US forces were located,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder during a media briefing on the same day.
“US commanders assessed that the UAV, which was now less than a half a kilometre from US forces, to be a potential threat, and US F-16 fighters subsequently shot down the UAV in self-defence at approximately 11:40 local time.”
“The secretary reaffirmed that the United States remains in Syria exclusively in support of the campaign to defeat ISIS.
“The secretary also acknowledged Turkey’s legitimate security concerns and underscored the importance of close coordination between the United States and Turkey to prevent any risk to US forces or the global coalition’s defeat-ISIS mission.”
There is no indication that Turkey had intentionally been targeting US forces and no US forces were injured, Ryder said during the media briefing.
“It’s a regrettable incident, but US commanders on the ground did assess that there was a potential threat and so they took prudent action in this scenario,” he said.
“But again, the secretary has talked to his counterpart. They had the opportunity to have a fruitful conversation and ... commit to one another that the US and Turkey will continue to closely communicate and coordinate.
“Turkey does remain a very important and valuable NATO ally and partner to the United States.”
