US military convoy comes under fire of Turkey-backed militants in Syria, no casualties – Russian MoD

American troops heading toward the Iraqi border have been attacked from land held by Turkish-backed militants in northern Syria, Russia’s Ministry of Defense has claimed. The attack comes amid a US withdrawal from the region.

The convoy was traveling along the M4 motorway - which runs parallel to the Turkish border through land captured by Turkey during its anti-Kurdish ‘Peace Spring’ offensive last month - when it was attacked near the town of Tell Tamer, the ministry reported on Sunday.

“As part of deconfliction exchange, information has been received from the US side that on November 3 a convoy of American servicemen...was fired upon from the territory controlled by the pro-Turkish Syrian National Army,” read a statement from the ministry.

Nobody was hurt in the incident.

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The reported exchange took place amid an American withdrawal from northern Syria, where US forces had fought alongside Kurdish militias against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal was heavily criticized for effectively green-lighting a Turkish military crackdown against the Kurds, whom it considers terrorists.

Since the withdrawal was announced, not all US forces in Syria have packed up and headed for Iraq, as the convoy hit on Sunday apparently did. Some have been deployed elsewhere in the country to guard oilfields, keeping them in Kurdish – and American – hands.

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President Trump explained his rationale for leaving some forces behind to pull guard duty on Friday, telling reporters “I like oil! We’re keeping the oil.”

Before a ceasefire halted Turkey’s Northern Syria crackdown, the Pentagon reported American troops shelled from Turkish positions last month. Sunday’s contact has not yet been acknowledged or commented upon by Washington.

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