The Pentagon said Thursday that the US military had shot down a Turkish drone that had come close to US troops in northeastern Syria. It was the first time a NATO member had used force against another.
Air Force Brig. General Patrick Ryder, the press secretary, said it was a “disgraceful incident” and that US troops had to go into bunkers for safety while Turkey was bombing targets nearby.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the chairman of the new Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown, talked to their Turkish counterparts right away to emphasize the importance of their relationship, but also to make sure there would be no more incidents like this in the future and that US personnel would be safe.
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