F-16 shoots down deadly Bayraktar TB2 drone of Turkey in Syria, is this the start of NATO vs NATO conflict?

The impart in Syria is now acting to be shaping into a NATO vs. NATO warfare, elevating considerations that tensions between the U.S. and Turkey over adjust of the place may soon escalate dramatically. This stress stems from the differing pursuits of every international locations in Syria. The US backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) no longer too long ago announced the a success downing of a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 wrestle drone near the Karakozak Bridge in northern Raqqa. The SDF Media Center disclosed this on January 1, 2025, and released photographs of the drone being shot down.

Of their enlighten, the SDF acknowledged, “At precisely 1:00 PM this afternoon, our fighters successfully downed a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone in the Karakozak Bridge station.” Images and videos of the wreckage were broadly circulated on social media. On the different hand, the explicit weapon procedure ancient to seize down the drone has no longer been published. The Bayraktar TB2 is a highly developed Turkish drone that has been deployed in a complete lot of militia operations, in conjunction with in Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine.

Despite the TB2’s subtle abilities, the SDF has demonstrated growing effectiveness in neutralizing such threats. Particularly, in mid-December, the SDF released photographs of yet every other a success shootdown of a TB2 drone.

SDF celebrates its achievements

According to the SDF Media Center, doubtlessly the most unusual incident marks the third Turkish drone shot down by SDF forces in the past month, exhibiting their persisted success in countering Turkish drone operations. The upward push in drone confrontations in Syria is a component of the broader geopolitical tensions spirited the U.S., Turkey, and Kurdish forces.

As well to the SDF’s actions, a gigantic match occurred in October 2023 when a U.S. Air Power F-16 shot down a Turkish drone that had dangerously approached American forces in northeastern Syria.

Why the US shot down a Turkish drone

It's believed that the Turkish drone used to be concentrating on Kurdish YPG fighters near American bases, main to the rare exhaust of power between NATO allies. At the time, U.S. officials acknowledged that a complete lot of attempts were made to contact Ankara to redirect the drone ahead of the decision to shoot it down used to be made. Later, Turkey denied ownership of the drone nonetheless did no longer present an explanation for which party used to be accountable for its operation. The drone used to be broadly believed to be an Anka-S, a medium-altitude, long-patience UAV elevated than the Bayraktar TB2. The Anka-S can carry a payload of up to 200 kilograms (450 pounds) and is capable of deploying developed weapons a lot like laser-guided anti-tank missiles and guided rocket pods.

SDF accuses Turkey of ceasefire violations

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) salvage customarily accused Turkey and its allied opposition groups of violating the US brokered ceasefire agreement. In a press commence, the SDF emphasized that “the Turkish scream and its proxies are escalating their aggression while dismissing all de-escalation efforts.” Despite the U.S.’s position as a mediator in the ceasefire, the place remains rife with warfare, with both sides blaming each a complete lot of for undermining the fragile truce.

On December 30, 2024, merely two days ahead of the Turkish drone used to be downed, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the ceasefire in the Manbij place used to be aloof in manufacture. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh acknowledged, “The ceasefire in that northern a part of Syria remains in place.”

Increased US militia presence in Syria

Amid these rising tensions, reviews expose that the U.S. is expanding its militia presence in northern Syria. Movies and images circulating on social media show U.S. troops and tools intelligent in opposition to Kobani, a city on the Turkish border that has witnessed intense clashes between Kurdish-led SDF forces and Turkey-backed groups. The U.S. maintains around 2,000 troops in Syria, primarily inquisitive about combating ISIS. On the different hand, the enhanced presence in Kobani suggests a strategic shift, maybe in conjunction with the institution of a new international coalition inappropriate in the station.