American MQ-9 Reaper downed over Syria by US-backed PKK/YPG terror group

An American MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down over northern Syria by forces led by the U.S.-backed PKK/YPG terror group, according to a report on Wednesday.

CNN, citing multiple officials familiar with the matter, said that the SDF mistook the multimillion-dollar drone for a Turkish aircraft when it was downed on Monday.

Earlier, an American defense official told Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu that the U.S. Air Force lost contact with the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper on Dec. 9 while it was conducting operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria.

“We are actively assessing the incident to determine the cause and follow-on actions,” the official said in a statement.

Northern Syria has recently witnessed advances by Syrian opposition groups aiming to reclaim areas previously seized by the PKK/YPG terror group.

The MQ-9 Reaper, operated by the U.S. Air Force, is capable of performing both surveillance and offensive strike missions.

Nearly 900 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Syria as part of an anti-Daesh/ISIS coalition, which includes the SDF.

The SDF, led by the YPG, is the U.S.’ primary partner in the fight against Daesh in Syria. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which is a designated terror group in both the U.S. and Türkiye. Washington’s support for the SDF has significantly heightened tensions between the two NATO allies.