US troops in Syria come under fire, 100,000 flee homes as assault continues
As Turkey intensified its ground and air offensive on Kurdish positions in northern Syria, the Pentagon said that Turkish artillery fire landed near a United States military observation post located on the outskirts of Kobani, Syria late Friday night.
“The explosion occurred within a few hundred meters of a location in an area known by the Turks to have US forces present,” Navy captain Brook DeWalt said, adding that no troops were injured.
Although the US has withdrawn most of its forces from the Syrian-Turkish border, a small number of troops remain.Turkey acted on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump pulled American troops out of the area.
In a statement late Friday, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said it did not open fire at the US facility, and said it struck a Kurdish position after a Turkish position had been attacked with machine guns and mortar fire 1 kilometre from a US observation post.
The statement added Turkey ceased firing after being contacted by US officials.
US officials said US troops left the post after it came under fire. It is the first time a coalition base was in the line of fire since Turkey’s offensive began.
Dozens of fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and pro-Turkish factions have been killed. The first death of a Turkish soldier was confirmed by Turkey’s military.
In the meantime, some 100,000 people have fled their homes in north Syria, the UN reports, as Turkey presses on with its cross-border offensive on Kurdish-held areas.
Many people are sheltering in schools or other buildings in Hassakeh city and the town of Tal Tamer, the UN says.
At least 11 civilians have died. Humanitarian groups say the number of people affected will rise further.
