U.S. troops forced to return fire on Syrian mob ‘in self-defense’, killing one

A U.S. soldier sustained minor injuries when his patrol came under fire near a border checkpoint in northeast Syria, military officials said Wednesday.

The soldier, who has not been identified, was part of a patrol near the Syrian town of Qamishli when they came across a border station occupied by forces loyal to the Syrian regime, officials said.

“After coalition troops issued a series of warnings and de-escalation attempts, the patrol came under small arms fire from unknown individuals. In self-defense, coalition troops returned fire,” according to a statement from Col. Myles B. Coggins III, a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, the military’s anti-ISIS campaign.

The soldier suffered what Col. Coggins described as a “minor superficial scratch” after the exchange of gunfire and has returned to duty.

The Associated Press has reported that a Syrian was killed while another was wounded in the clash with the U.S. military personnel.

The incident is being investigated, Col. Coggins said in a statement.