American drone downed above Syria by US’ YPG/PKK-led partners: Report

​​​​​​​By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - An American MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down above northern Syria by the US’ YPG/PKK-led partners, according to a report on Wednesday.

CNN reported, citing multiple officials familiar with the matter, that SDF forces believed the multimillion-dollar drone was Turkish when the group downed the aircraft Monday.

An American defense official told Anadolu earlier that the US Air Force lost contact with an unmanned MQ-9 Reaper operating above Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve on Dec. 9.

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

Northern Syria has recently seen the advance of Syrian opposition groups to liberate areas forcibly seized by the YPG/PKK terror group.

The MQ-9 is a drone operated by the US Air Force, capable of performing surveillance missions and offensive strikes.

Nearly 900 US military personnel are stationed in Syria as part of an anti-Daesh/ISIS coalition that includes the SDF.

The SDF is the US' primary anti-Daesh/ISIS partner in Syria. The group is led by the YPG, the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a designated terror group in the US and Türkiye. Washington's support for the SDF has greatly exacerbated tensions between the two NATO allies.