BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 7 (UPI) -- U.S. forces in Iraq and Syrian troops engaged in several border skirmishes last month in which one Marine and one Syrian soldier were wounded, reports said.
Beirut's daily As-Safir quoted U.S. political and military sources in Washington as saying Tuesday that Syrian troops fired at a U.S. helicopter in one of the border incidents, causing the casualties.
The State Department summoned the Syrian ambassador in Washington, Imad Mustafa, to complain about the incidents.
The U.S. sources also said the Pentagon decided to place Lebanon and Syria under the U.S. Central Command led by Gen. John Abuzaid which is responsible for the Middle East region.
The sources cited "geographic and field reasons" and the necessity of dealing better with the situation on the Syria-Iraq border for its decision.
The Pentagon had certain Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon and Syria, under the U.S. military command in Europe.
