Syria claims shooting, downing U.S. drone

WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- The Syrian military claims to have shot down a U.S. Air Force drone. The drone, according to U.S. officials, had been lost after they lost contact with the unmanned aircraft and do not know what happened to it.

If the drone was indeed shot down, it would mark the first reported loss by the United States since coalition air strikes against the Islamic State began in August. The intentional downing of the air craft would mark an escalation in tensions in the region.

"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.

Drones are commonly used for military missions and surveillance. The Pentagon said it is looking into the situation.

"We can confirm that at approximately 1:40 p.m. EDT today, U.S. military controllers lost contact with an U.S. MQ-1 Predator unarmed remotely piloted aircraft operating over northwest Syria," Navy Cdr. Elissa Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement.