The Pentagon has revealed that on Tuesday US forces fired on and took down an alleged 'Iranian-made' drone that was threating a base in Syria where US troops are stationed.
The base is located in northeastern Syria, and the drone flew toward Mission Support Site Conoco, named for the huge gas field that US-backed forces have for years occupied in Deir Ezzor province.
US Central Command said the drone was shot down mid-afternoon on Tuesday, following several recent attacks on US positions in the region, and also amid a spate of attacks at the Syria-Iraq border base of al-Tanf.
One of the biggest recent incidents at Conoco gas field involved an August skirmish wherein the US counter-attacked against what were believed to be Iran-backed fighters. The Pentagon at the time said it took out four enemy militants and destroyed rocket launchers.
It's unclear whether the attacks have indeed originated from 'Iranian militias' or else Syrian nationalist militias, or perhaps both, given the close alliance and cooperation among Iranian operatives and Syrian forces.
CENTCOM took the rare step in this latest instance of publishing photographs of what appears a large drone over US positions, and it going up in flames after being engaged by US forces.
This fresh drone shootdown incident comes following a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake which rocked the whole region, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving entire towns and villages as rubble.
By Zerohedge.com
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