Sputnik-Middle East

Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Myles Caggins previously stated that US-led coalition troops opened fire on civilians, claiming they had to do it in self-defence. One minor and an adult died when a coalition patrol opened fire on a crowd in Qamshli, according to a military source.

“At 10 a.m. the US patrol including six armoured Humvee vehicles deliberately entered the area controlled by the Syrian authorities”, the Syrian military source said. “The US troops opened fire, as a result 10-year-old Juma Suleiman Barre was killed”.

The source added that during the clashes one US soldier was injured and four armoured vehicles were damaged.

In the meantime, the US-led coalition has confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation is underway.

“On 12 February Coalition forces, conducting a patrol near Qamishli, Syria, encountered a checkpoint occupied by pro-Syrian government forces”, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Myles Caggins stated. “Coalition troops issued a series of warnings and de-escalation attempts, the patrol came under small arms fire from unknown individuals. In self-defence, Coalition troops returned fire”.

The situation in northern Syria remains extremely tight after the recent clashes between government forces and rebel militants, backed by Ankara. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to retaliate after five Turkish servicemen were killed by the Syrian Army striking an outpost in the rebel-controlled province of Idlib.

The Turkish forces later claimed they had fired at 115 Syrian Army targets and neutralised 101 of their troops.

The Syrian Army started an offensive in January, after reporting multiple ceasefire violations by the militants, including the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organisation.

US Forces Open Fire on Civilians in Khirbet Ammo, Eastern Qamishli

2 February، 2020

Hasaka, SANA

A civilian was martyred and other was injured when American Occupation forces opened fire on locals of the villages of Khirbet Ammo and Hamou in eastern Qamishli after they gathered near a Syrian Arab Army post while the Army was preventing American occupation vehicles from crossing.

Meanwhile, locals of Bweir al-Bouassi village threw stones at the U.S. occupation’s vehicles and they took down the US flag from above them.

SANA reporter in Hasaka said that “A Syrian Arab Army post in the area on Wednesday morning stopped four American occupation vehicles while they were crossing al-Suwais – Alaia- Khirbet Ammo road east of Qamishli city, then hundreds of locals of Khirbet Ammo and Hamou villages gathered near the post to prevent the American occupation vehicles from crossing and to force them to return from where they came”.

The reporter stated that “The American occupation soldiers fired live bullets and smoke bombs on the locals as a civilian from the village of Khirbet Ammo was martyred while another civilian from Hamou village was injured.”

In response to the attack by the American occupation forces, the locals damaged four of the occupation’s armored vehicles, while the occupation forces rushed to bring reinforcements to the area that include 5 armored vehicles, to withdraw their damaged vehicles and evacuate their personnel.

In the same context, and during the passage of a number of American occupation armored vehicles through Bweir al-Bouassi village, in the countryside of al-Qamishli city, locals of the village intercepted them and attacked the armored vehicles with stones and forced them to stop while a number of young men got on the top of one of the vehicles and took down the U.S flag from it.

Later, SANA reporter said that there is news on air assault by US occupation on Khirbet Ammo village, Qamishli countryside

The reporter added that direct clashes with light weapons erupted between the locals of the village and the U.S. occupation.

The reporter indicated that the occupation forces withdrew from the village under a cover by the U.S. warplanes.

Yara Ismail/ Ruaa al-Jazaeri