A group of Syrian rebels that received TOW missiles from the US destroyed a Russian rescue helicopter Tuesday, not long after Turkish fighters shot down a Russian Su-24, reported Reuters. Russian military leaders said one of two Mi-8 search and rescue helicopters was forced down by small arms fire and destroyed by mortars, and one marine was killed, according to a Russian release. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told reporters the fighters used a TOW missile to force the helicopter to land, then hit it again with a second missile, reported USA Today. The observatory said everyone on the helicopter was evacuated safely.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
