Syria: T-72 tank destroyed by US MQ-9 Reaper drone.

On 10 February, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone destroyed a T-72 tank operated by pro-Assad regime forces in eastern Syria's Deir el-Zor district, U.S. military officials said.

Syrian T-72 with cage armour protection against anti-tank projectiles (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"Coalition forces shot a T-72 tank near Tebiye on February 10, acting for self-defense," said U.S. Colonel Ryan Dillon, adding that pro-regime forces had fired on U.S. special operation forces and SDF fighters near the same region.

Three crew members of the T-72 were killed when the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone hit the tank with precision-guided munition. No U.S troops nor Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militants were wounded in the incident. The U.S.-led coalition contacted its Russian counterparts via the telephone de-confliction line before striking the tank, coalition spokesperson Col. Ryan Dillon said. The T-72 tank had been "maneuvering with coordinated indirect fire" on a position held by the SDF near Al-Tabiyeh. The strike was the second by the U.S. against pro-Syrian regime forces last week, according to the U.S. military's Central Command.

The U.S.' cooperation with the SDF, predominantly led by the PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG), has been a thorny issue for Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly warned against the repercussions of using one terrorist group to defeat another, while the U.S. has been touting the "effective results" of its cooperation with the YPG in the fight against Daesh. However, although the fight against Daesh has almost ended, the U.S. still continue to support the SDF/YPG with arms and military equipment.