The Syrian military claims to have shot down a U.S. drone, state media reported Tuesday.
“Syrian Air Defense systems shot down a U.S. UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) north of Latakia Province,” the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said.
The U.S. military lost contact with a MQ-1 Predator drone over Syria, a U.S. official said Tuesday. Claims that the drone was shot down by Syrian forces are still being investigated, the official said. The drone was believed to be conducting a reconnaissance mission near the Port of Latakia.
The United States has used drones for surveillance and targeted killings, allowing missions to be carried out without risking the lives of U.S. military personnel. But it’s not alone. More than 70 countries now have some type of drone, according to The New America Foundation.