U.S. army anti-Islamic State patrol attacked in northeast Syria

U.S. military forces and coalition troops came under attack Monday by pro-Syrian forces in northeast Syria while conducting a routine anti-ISIS patrol and returned fire in what Pentagon officials said was self-defense.

In a statement, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) officials said that American troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces did not suffer any casualties.

Officials said the patrol approached a checkpoint operated by Syrian-backed forces at approximately 9:20 a.m. local time Monday when it came under small-arms fire “from individuals in the vicinity of the checkpoint after they received approval to pass.”

The coalition forces then returned fire in self-defense and safely returned to base, officials said.

“The coalition did not conduct an airstrike. No coalition casualties occurred,” CJTF-OIR said in the statement, adding that the incident remains under investigation.

Source: Washington Times