U.S. F-16 shoots down Turkish drone flying over U.S. forces in Syria

A U.S. F-16 fighter jet shot down a Turkish drone flying over a base in northeast Syria where U.S. forces are located, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The drone, which belonged to the Turkish government, was armed with air-to-ground missiles and deemed a threat to the American troops and Syrian Democratic Forces at the Tal Baydar base, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic.

The unmanned aerial system was a Bayraktar TB2 built by Turkish defense company Baykar, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone built primarily for the Turkish armed forces, the person said. The Turkish defense ministry reportedly denied it owned the drone.