唐纳德·特朗普总统告诉土耳其总统他将从该地区的某些阵地撤出美国军队几天后，一支美国特种部队陷入土耳其对美国支持的库尔德人在叙利亚北部阵地的炮击。五角大楼一名高级官员表示，土耳其军队的炮击如此猛烈，以至于美国人员考虑进行自卫还击。

　　新闻周刊通过一名伊拉克库尔德情报官员和五角大楼高级官员了解到，在库尔德人占多数的科巴尼市马什特努尔山上行动的特种部队遭到土耳其部队的炮火袭击，他们对美国支持但被土耳其视为恐怖组织的库尔德战士进行了所谓的“和平之春行动”。没有受伤的报道。

　　炮击停止后，特种部队没有还击，而是撤退了。新闻周刊以前报告过周三，美国军队目前的交战规则仍然以自卫为中心，五角大楼没有发布从叙利亚完全撤军的命令。

　　五角大楼官员说，土耳其部队应该“深入到网格”了解美国的立场这位官员无法具体说明在场人员的确切人数，但表示他们“人数少于连级”，因此大约有15至100人。新闻周刊已经联系五角大楼就此事发表评论。

　　土耳其国防部针对《新闻周刊》的报道发表声明，否认其军队以美国军队为目标。国防部证实，“苏鲁科以南的土耳其边境哨所遭到多契卡的袭击，位于美国一个观察哨所西南约1000米处的山丘发射迫击炮弹。”

　　“出于自卫，双方向袭击的恐怖分子阵地开火。土耳其没有以任何方式向美国观察哨开火，”声明补充说。“为了防止对美国基地造成任何伤害，在开火前采取了所有预防措施。作为预防措施，我们在收到美国的信息后停止了开火。我们坚决拒绝美国或联军遭到枪击的说法。”

　　然而，五角大楼后来证实《新闻周刊》发言人海军上尉布鲁克·德瓦尔特说，“科巴尼附近的美国军队在当地时间10月11日晚上9点左右遭到土耳其阵地的炮击。”

　　声明补充说，“爆炸发生在安全机制区外几百米的地方，土耳其人知道有美国军队在场，”声明指出，没有美国人受伤，也没有美国人员从科巴尼撤离《新闻周刊》消息来源证实美国在该市有多个职位。

　　声明最后说:“美国仍然反对土耳其军队进入叙利亚，特别是反对土耳其在安全机制区之外以及土耳其人知道美国军队存在的地区开展行动。”。"美国要求土耳其避免可能导致立即采取防御行动的行动."

　　土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安早就警告说，他将冲破边境，建立一个所谓的“安全区”，在白宫周日宣布美国军队将靠边站后，他于本周早些时候发起了行动。
 

EXCLUSIVE: TURKEY ATTACKS US SPECIAL FORCES IN SYRIA, APPARENTLY BY MISTAKE

　　A contingent of U.S. Special Forces was caught up in Turkish shelling against U.S.-backed Kurdish positions in northern Syria, days after President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart he would withdraw U.S. troops from certain positions in the area. A senior Pentagon official said shelling by the Turkish forces was so heavy that the U.S. personnel considered firing back in self-defense.

　　Newsweek has learned through both an Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official and the senior Pentagon official that Special Forces operating on Mashtenour hill in the majority-Kurdish city of Kobani fell under artillery fire from Turkish forces conducting their so-called "Operation Peace Spring" against Kurdish fighters backed by the U.S. but considered terrorist organizations by Turkey. No injuries have been reported.

　　Instead of returning fire, the Special Forces withdrew once the shelling had ceased. Newsweekpreviously reported Wednesday that the current rules of engagement for U.S. forces continue to be centered around self-defense and that no order has been issued by the Pentagon for a complete withdrawal from Syria.

　　The Pentagon official said that Turkish forces should be aware of U.S. positions "down to the grid." The official could not specify the exact number of personnel present, but indicated they were "small numbers below company level," so somewhere between 15 and 100 troops. Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon for comment on the situation.

　　The Turkish Defense Ministry issued a statement in response to Newsweek's report, denying that its military had targeted U.S. forces. The ministry affirmed that "Turkish border outposts south of Suruc came under Dochka and mortar fire from the hills located approximately 1,000 meters southwest of a U.S. observation post."

　　"In self-defense, reciprocal fire was opened on the terrorist positions of the attack. Turkey did not open fire at the U.S. observation post in any way," the statement added. "All precautions were taken prior to opening fire in order to prevent any harm to the U.S. base. As a precaution, we ceased fire upon receiving information from the U.S. We firmly reject the claim that U.S. or Coalition forces were fired upon."

　　The Pentagon, however, later corroborated Newsweek's report, with spokesperson Navy Captain Brook DeWalt saying "U.S. troops in the vicinity of Kobani came under artillery fire from Turkish positions at approximately 9 p.m. local Oct. 11."

　　"The explosion occurred within a few hundred meters of a location outside the Security Mechanism zone and in an area known by the Turks to have U.S. forces present," the statement added, noting that there were no U.S. injuries nor have U.S. personnel withdrawn from Kobani—with Newsweek's source able to confirm the U.S. had multiple positions in the city.

　　"United States remains opposed to the Turkish military move into Syria and especially objects to Turkish operations outside the Security Mechanism zone and in areas where the Turks know U.S. forces are present," the statement concluded. "The U.S. demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action."

　　Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had long warned he would storm the border to establish a so-called "safe zone" and, after the White House announced Sunday that U.S. troops would stand aside, he launched the operation earlier this week.