US Military Says 22 Service Members Injured in Syria Helicopter Mishap

A US helicopter in Syrian airspace. (AP)
A US helicopter in Syrian airspace. (AP)
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US Military Says 22 Service Members Injured in Syria Helicopter Mishap

A US helicopter in Syrian airspace. (AP)
A US helicopter in Syrian airspace. (AP)

Twenty-two US service members were injured in a helicopter "mishap" in northeast Syria, the US Central Command said late on Monday.

Ten service members had been evacuated to higher care facilities outside the Central Command area of responsibility, it said in a statement.

The cause of the incident on Sunday was under investigation, although no enemy fire was reported, said the US Central Command, which oversees US forces in the Middle East.

In March, 23 US troops in Syria suffered traumatic brain injuries during two attacks by Iran-backed armed groups, it said in April.



France’s Macron Says Sales of Arms Used by Israel in Gaza Should Be Halted

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
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France’s Macron Says Sales of Arms Used by Israel in Gaza Should Be Halted

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)

Shipments of arms used in the conflict in Gaza should be stopped as part of a broader effort to find a political solution, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday.

France is not a major weapons provider for Israel, shipping military equipment worth 30 million euros ($33 million) last year, according to the defense ministry's annual arms exports report.

"I think the priority today is to get back to a political solution (and) that arms used to fight in Gaza are halted. France doesn't ship any," Macron told France Inter radio.

"Our priority now is to avoid escalation. The Lebanese people must not in turn be sacrificed, Lebanon cannot become another Gaza," he added.

Macron's comments come as his Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is on a four-day trip to the Middle East, wrapping up on Monday in Israel as Paris looks to play a role in reviving diplomatic efforts.