US drone destroys Russian-made tank in Syria

WASHINGTON – A US military drone aircraft destroyed a Russian-made T-72 tank in Syria over the weekend, US officials said on Tuesday, in the second defensive strike against pro-Syrian government forces in less than a week.

No US-led coalition or coalition-backed local forces were killed in the strike by a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, which took place near Al Tabiyeh, Syria, on Sunday.

Lieutenant General Jeffrey Harrigian, top US Air Force general in the Middle East, declined in a briefing with reporters to speculate on who was driving the tank. One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least two pro-Syrian government forces were killed.

The US military said it destroyed the tank after it moved within firing range of the US-backed forces while being supported by artillery fire.