DAMASCUS
A U.S. reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by the Syrian army Tuesday, according to the official Syrian news agency SANA.
The agency said that the country's air defense systems shot down the unmanned aircraft in Syria's northwestern Latakia province.
No further details were provided by the Syrian government.
In Washington, a Defense Department official confirmed the U.S. lost contact with an MQ-1 Predator aircraft above northwest Syria Tuesday, but did not verify reports that it was shot down. The official said the Pentagon is looking into the matter and would release more information on the incident as it becomes available.
Syria has been gripped by fighting since the regime of President Bashar al-Assad launched a violent crackdown in response to anti-government protests in March, 2011, triggering a conflict that has spiraled into a civil war.
