Complex Civil War News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Jon, thank you. tonight, american troops have come under fire in syria. the u.s.-led patrol and the confrontation with pro-syrian supporters. the americans firing back. those americans part of the u.s. troops still in syria, on the hunt for isis when the confrontation happened. this video showing local supporters of the syrian regime opening fire at a u.s. convoy. abc's james longman from syria tonight. >> reporter: tonight, american troops attacked in syria. u.s. military vehicles, their flags clearly visible, stopped at a syrian regime checkpoint. gunmen opening fire. a child runs away in ...

The syrian regime had troops there, too. they were firing artillery. the kurds who are called the ypg were coordinating against isis in that battle. if the u.s. is sending in, as we know they plan to, some limited boots on the ground in that area and they are going to be coordinating with the kurds there, then they're infecti ief coordinating with a force, with damascus and president assad's government. that's where it gets very, very difficult because this is such a complex civil war. every time you make a move, all the pieces change. >> and then if the ypg is in cahoots with the syrian regim...

Bunch. these guys are different. they're part of the u.n.'s new intervention force brigade unlike the rest of the blue helmets who are only allowed to act in defense as peacekeepers, these soldiers are on the offense with the authorization to hunt and attack enemy forces. this is a first. historic change for the u.n. and new strategy in the democratic republican of congo where more than 5 million people have died since 1998 amidst a complex civil war. over the last 18 months, government troops have fought a rebel group. they were encroaching deeper into the country and had taken over the city....

The turks have spent two years trying to find them and to build up a moderate opposition, democratic-minded, create a government in exile. it's proving to be very difficult. it's not that everybody opposing assad is some kind of islamic jihadist. it's that this is a very messy, complex civil war. by some accounts there are 1,000 separate militias fighting in syria. they don't seem to be coordinated, so for us by remote control, 6,000 miles away believe we can figure out who the moderate opposition forces are. vet them and arm them, is proving very difficult. so, yeah, it's a good goal, it is t...