Turkish troops ‘accidentally’ open fires at US Special Forces unit in northern Syria

BREAKING NEWS: Turkey launches artillery bombardment on US special forces in Syria ‘by mistake’ just days after Trump controversially ordered American forces to withdraw

  • The shelling occurred in Kobani on Friday where US Special Forces have been stationed in support of Kurdish troops 
  • Trump ordered that they be removed earlier this week, in a controversial move, but some remain in the area during the drawdown 
  • The Kurds have been instrumental in fighting both ISIS and the Syrian regime led by the country’s president, Assad 
  • Turkey however deems them to be a terrorist group and they want them clear of the border The Turkish president has claimed he wants to create a ‘safe zone’ and potentially ‘save’ 2million Syrian refugees who are in the middle of the fighting
  • Republicans have voiced fury at Trump over withdrawal and warned Turkish invasion will lead to atrocities against Kurds

Turkish troops shelled a US Special Forces unit in northern Syria on Friday, apparently ‘by mistake’, as they moved in on Kurdish fighters days after President Trump said he would remove American soldiers from the region. 

No one was injured and the artillery fell several hundred meters from where the US troops were stationed, according to CNN. The Pentagon has not yet commented. 

The shelling occurred on Mashtenour hill in Kobani, a border city under Kurdish control. Turkish forces are moving in on the region to reclaim it from the YPG, a group of Kurdish fighters. 

Turkish forces allege that YPG fighters are planning to launch attacks over the border from the area. 

Members of the Turkish-backed Syrian Free Army enter Syria’s Rasulayn clear the town on Friday 

It wants to move in and create a ‘safe zone’, wiping out the Kurds and any ISIS prisoners being kept there. 

Earlier this week, Trump agreed to remove US Special Operation Units which have been in the region for years, bolstering the Kurds in their fight against ISIS, and the Syrian Army.  

Newsweek cited anonymous Department of Defense officials who said it was unlikely that the Turkish army would mistake US troops for Kurds in that case and that they would be aware of US positions ‘down to the grid.’ 

Both a senior Pentagon official and a Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official confirmed the shelling. 

CNN reporter Michael Holmes tweeted that he too had confirmation of the incident. 

A map of the region shows how it is divided between Turkey, the Kurds, and the Syrian regime

A map of the region shows how it is divided between Turkey, the Kurds, and the Syrian regime 

‘Turkish artillery hit close to a US special operations unit near Kobani on Friday, US official confirms. 

‘The artillery shells hit several hundred meters from where the US special ops forces were located. There are no US injuries,’ he said.

The Pentagon has not yet responded to DailyMail.com’s inquiries. 

It comes after President Trump agreed to remove US troops from the region, where they have been bolstering the Kurds since the start of the Syrian civil war. 

Turkey is fighting them, claiming they are a terrorist organization. 



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