The United Kingdom fighter jets shot down a
drone approaching the US base in Syria on Tuesday night, the UK’s Defense
Ministry confirmed in a statement on Friday. The incident is the latest in a
series of alleged attacks believed to be launched by Iran-backed militias in
Syria and Iraq against the US and international coalition troops’ war against the Islamic State (IS). The US Central Command and the Pentagon
on Thursday both confirmed the incident.

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The US press secretary John Kirby said two
drones were detected entering the 55-kilometre buffer zone surrounding the
al-Tanf outpost, which houses US special operations troops and Syrian militia
fighters on Syria’s remote southern border with Iraq and Jordan.

Royal Air Force Typhoons chased down the drone

Royal Air Force Typhoons were on routine
patrols in the area. They were called to chase the drones, the UK statement
read. “As one of these drones infiltrated deeper into the deconfliction zone,
it was assessed it was demonstrating a hostile intent,” Kirby told reporters
today. “It was shot down. The second one was not engaged, and it likely left
the area,” he said.

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However, there were no reports of damage or
casualties at the al-Tanf garrison, Kirby said. The shoot-down followed an
earlier barrage of explosive drones that hit al-Tanf in October. Sleeping
quarters and other personnel facilities on the US side of the base were damaged
in that attack.

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US troops temporarily relocated ahead of
the bombardment, about which defence officials had prior warning. The US
President Joe Biden has twice authorised US airstrikes against Iran-backed
militias in retaliation for drone and rocket attacks on coalition positions.

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Such attacks mostly quieted down in Iraq in
recent months since Biden and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced the
United States would not have any combat troops in Iraq by the end of the year,
but drone attacks on coalition bases in Syria have continued.