Syrian regime soldiers killed in clash with US-led coalition

Coalition denies using air strike during encounter at an army checkpoint in the north-eastern city of Qamishli

Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters carry their weapons while riding on the back of a pick-up truck in Qamishli, Syria. Rodi Said / Reuters

Two Syrian regime soldiers were killed and one wounded at an army checkpoint in north-east Syria near the Kurdish-held city of Qamishli, reportedly in an exchange of fire with a US-led coalition patrol.

There were reports that the checkpoint was targeted with an air strike, which were denied in a statement by the coalition.

"After receiving safe passage from the pro-regime forces, the patrol came under small arms fire from individuals in the vicinity of the checkpoint," the statement said.

"Coalition troops returned fire in self defence. The coalition did not conduct an air strike."

There were no casualties among the coalition side and the incident is under investigation.

However, both the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights war monitor and Syrian state outlet Sana said that there had been an air strike.

"One soldier was martyred and two others wounded ... when a US aircraft targeted an army checkpoint," Sana reported, giving a lower death toll than the Observatory, which said two were killed.

The checkpoint is at Tal Al Zahab, south-east of Qamishli.

Monday's clash was the first deadly incident of its kind in six months, the Observatory said, although tensions are not unusual in the area, where the web of security responsibilities is complex.

Kurdish and US coalition forces, as well as Russian and government troops, are all deployed in the area.

The US-led coalition is allied with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces in the north-east region.