An Anka S belonging to the Turkish army was shot down as a result of fire from a portable anti-aircraft system from the US base.Turkish media accuse the US of shooting down the Turkish UAV, which was actually flying near a US base in Syria.
Yesterday, US expert Jonathan Lord prophetically stated, "The killing of US troops by NATO ally Turkey would likely quickly lead to a lasting and unprecedented shift in US-Turkey relations under the auspices of Congress. Restraint would be the wiser course."
Special analysts believe that this is a response to Turkey's plans to threaten the bases of Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq.
The Turkish military has already this week launched airstrikes in Syria and northern Iraq and has arrested dozens of suspects with possible links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
A Turkish journalist's question to a representative of the US State Department revealed that the US is supporting the Syrian Kurds
Reporter: "You say you are on Turkey's side regarding the threat posed by the PKK. Does the US still believe that the YPG and the PKK are separate organisations and that the YPG is not a threat?
US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel: "Yes, I am not here to make a change in the longstanding policy of the United States."
Reporter: "So you are not strongly on the side of Turkey?"
Patel: "We stand with Turkey."
Reporter: "On the PKK issue you are not together as to their general position, you don't accept that?
Patel: "I'm sure we could go about it in many different ways, but..."
Reporter: "There is nothing to discuss, but you don't accept it, Turkey says that both the PKK and the YPG are two of the same threats. You don't accept the second part."
Patel: "We are aware of the legitimate threat to national security posed by the PKK, we stand by Turkey."
Journalist: "Do you think the YPG is a threat to Turkey? ▪️
Do you believe that the PKK is a threat to Turkey? "There is no such security assessment that I can offer you."
In recent years, Turkey has carried out several incursions into northern Syria against YPG militias, which it considers to be linked to the PKK.
However, the YPG is also the main ally of the US-led coalition against Islamic State, and support for that Kurdish-led force has strained relations between Ankara and Washington, as well as Turkey's ties with other allied states such as France.
