Ankara Says Downed Syrian Warplane in Turkish Airspace, Damascus Slams 'Flagrant Aggression'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Turkish anti-aircraft fire shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday as it bombed rebels fighting to seize control of a border post in northwestern Syria, in an operation described by Damascus as a “flagrant aggression.”
"Turkish air defenses targeted a Syrian fighter bomber as it struck areas of the northern province of Latakia. The plane caught fire and crashed in Syrian territory," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Damascus called Turkey's move a “flagrant aggression.”
"In a flagrant act of aggression that is evidence of (Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's support for terrorist groups, Turkish anti-aircraft defenses shot down a Syrian military aircraft that was chasing terrorist groups inside Syrian territory at Kasab," a military source said.
The pilot was able to eject, the source added.
But the Turkish military said two Syrian MIG-23 planes approaching its airspace were warned "four times" to turn away and that it scrambled fighter jets when one refused to do so.
"Despite the warnings the second Syrian plane entered Turkish airspace at 1313 local time (1113 GMT) ... and breached it by approximately one kilometer and then headed to the west and kept flying 1.5 kilometers inside our airspace," the army said in a statement on its website.
"One of the patrolling F-16 jets fired a missile at the Syrian plane at 1314 local time (1114 GMT) in line with rules of engagement and the plane fell into the Kasab region on Syrian territory, 1,200 meters from the border," it added.
Earlier on Sunday, the Syrian foreign ministry issued a protest over Turkish "interference" in the Kasab region of Latakia.
Turkey's "unjustified military aggression against Syrian sovereignty in the Kasab border region over the past two days proves its implication in the events in Syria," it said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Erdogan congratulated his military for downing the Syrian fighter jet and warned of a "heavy" response if Turkish airspace was violated.
"Our response will be heavy if you violate our airspace," Erdogan said during an election rally, referring to the regime of President Bashar Assad.
"I congratulate the chief of general staff, the armed forces and those honorable pilots... I congratulate our air forces," said the premier.
President Abdullah Gul called Chief of Staff General Necdet Ozel to congratulate him.
"Turkey has shown its determination to protect its border," he was quoted as saying by Turkish media.
Parliament speaker Cemil Cicek said Turkey acted within its rights under international law, media reported.
Turkish warplanes last year downed a Syrian helicopter, which Ankara said was detected two kilometers inside Turkish airspace.
Turkey toughened its rules of engagement after the downing of one of its fighter jets by the Syrian air force in June 2012, to say that any military approach of the Turkish border from Syria would be considered a threat.
The Observatory had said earlier that Syrian government forces and rebels on the ground were battling for control of a border post with Turkey in Latakia province.
"Fighters of al-Nusra Front and other groups have overrun the crossing point and driven out government forces" and their allies, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
But fierce clashes continued around the crossing point and in the nearby town of Kasab, in a battle which erupted on Friday.
"Significant military reinforcements have been sent to the government forces," said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of activists and medical sources on the ground for its reports.
The Observatory said earlier that nearly 80 fighters on both sides have been killed in the Kasab battle.
A Syrian security source said the rebels who had infiltrated from Turkey into Kasab suffered "heavy blows" on Sunday and denied reports that the army had lost control of its "Observatory 45" military post.
On Tuesday, al-Nusra and Islamist groups Sham al-Islam and Ansar al-Sham announced the launch of an offensive dubbed "Anfal" in Latakia province.
The province, which includes Assad's family village, is considered a regime stronghold, and many residents are from his Alawite minority.
23 March 2014, 15:27
1617
Erdogan proves daily he is an enemy of peace and democracy ... He supports Takfiris and steals from the Turkish people while trying to silence media, You Tube and Twiter.
23 March 2014, 15:40
1218
At one time Erdogan was a man of dialog and accomplishment in the Middle East ...
He has since turned into a corrupt tyrannical despot that now threatens Turkey's democracy with his Gestapo tactics.
23 March 2014, 20:51
24
Ohh, what do you expect. Please people open our eyes. Wow we didn't know. After all, isn't he a Turk?
23 March 2014, 15:30
1711
This is a country and an army that respect themselves. If this is done every time the butcher's warplanes approach Lebanese airspace, he would learn a lesson the Jordanians taught him the first time he attempted to flex his plastic muscles.
23 March 2014, 15:47
158
The flamethrower thumbing down brigade is in full force today)
23 March 2014, 17:23
127
Yeah you see alot on here without jobs. OR? this is their job as paid mouthpieces. Either way won't change anything on the outside world, still the same uneducated nonsense will continue.
23 March 2014, 17:24
1210
JosephIrani, you're a broken record, just by observing you simply, you're one sided hoping for a piece of HA pie, so sad. Will you think for yourself? Let's find out.
23 March 2014, 15:35
167
We need the same thing in Lebanon against Syrian agressions. But sadly Lebanon doesn't respect himself.
23 March 2014, 16:05
147
Thats the answer for the F4 downed 2 years ago...
+ maybe as well the elections and that twitter story...
23 March 2014, 20:40
75
and anonyme... lol, how irrelvant and boring can you get? a 30 year old speech that was revoked several times, is that your best?
24 March 2014, 15:42
00
lol, you obviously have never been to saudi. fyi you'll almost never see someone wearing a tie there.
23 March 2014, 16:37
139
Well done Turkey. This is not about support for anyone, this is about protecting your borders, which is something that Lebanese will find hard to understand. Turkey Warned Syria, and Syria overstepped the mark. I would expect nothing less from my Government.
23 March 2014, 20:24
00
absolutly agree with you if people read article full they will understand it if Turkey want to destroy assad's army airspaces supporter areas we have hundreds f-16 but we just protect our border and as a turkish citizen lives in lebanon,beirut lebanon should do that to for safety people lives in lebanon.
23 March 2014, 16:52
136
snif! let us cry... but when syria bombs lebanese territory it is not "flagrant aggression" LOL
23 March 2014, 17:21
134
Assad, Iran, HA, all the same manipulation. Salafi's are no better, both sides are hypocritical by nature. It's still ok to kill civilians though right? isn't that "flagrant aggression"? oh right it's not because it's our primitive feud against the Sunni's and it's God's wish lol...please go back to KSA and Iran. And those who justify civilian killings and prolong this rivalry, go to your corners and take a time out.
23 March 2014, 18:03
104
You can do better? or is it the same regurgitating 5 year old nonsense today :)
23 March 2014, 18:04
105
I see you have your fake accounts all set too, really mature of you.
23 March 2014, 17:49
00
Let's see if Assad will strike Back or keeps on watching getting slammed from Israel
And Turkey without any response.
23 March 2014, 18:09
106
Flagrant?? Syria has been bombing Arsal for over a year and they want to complaint about flagrant violations?? This is the statement of a myopic regime that cannot see the violations that it commits in the name of self preservation, but screams in pain with any pinprick that may come there way. Four warnings and yet the Syrian MiGs didn't respond?? What did they think, that they were operating over the Lebanese Border??
23 March 2014, 18:25
108
Did Hafez and Bachar leave good memories for you Southern in Lebanon? Are you still thanking them and chanting: Allah. Sourya, Nasrallah, Bachar w-bass.
WHile we debate who is worse HA or Takfiris, both are poison and cancer to Lebanon (the only question is which is the worse cancer).
23 March 2014, 18:26
107
You will never see Syrian jets flying near Turkey or close to the border any longer, these are the arms that we need to obtain for the Army to truly fight Israel and Syria daily violation of our space, that's the true defense strategy and not getting involved in the Syrian war and kidnap Israeli soldiers under the order of Iran-Assad to start a 2006 war on Lebanon.
23 March 2014, 20:02
00
You guys amaze me! Every few days I read the stories on this sitenabout the war and about Israel, and I see the same commenters making the same insults to eachother over and over. You guys need some new schtick. Your acts are stale. Do you guys ( I mean pro and anti hizb) ever get together for lunch or to go bowling, or is this your only social outlet? You must all have carpel tunnel syndrome by now. Now bring it on, but make it new!
23 March 2014, 20:08
32
I agree. We need to be the ones to rid our country of any intruders and trouble makers. Not them. I wish we could shoot those Syrian Jets down.
23 March 2014, 20:28
00
who is write kind of these things lebanese they to most traveller to turkey shopping in istanbul swimm in bodrum,antalya boosting turkish economy when back to lebanon ottoman empire didnt leave good memory in lebanon 2faces of lebanese but you have good memory from last summer in antalya typical lebanese looser child of middle east :)
23 March 2014, 21:11
52
I got the great pleasure to annouce that Hilal AlAssad, Bashar's cousin was killed in action in Latakia today , may he be followed by his cousins Bashar and Maher...
23 March 2014, 21:21
32
Hey Mystic, when is the cub Lion of Damascus going to strike back? The Israelis and Turks keep slapping him around.
23 March 2014, 21:59
33
Thank you Turkey and Isreal, for wiping out the last Christian ramnnats in Syria.
And these bearded Islamist think they are going to win the hearts of the Christians
Think again buddy
23 March 2014, 22:26
32
Hilal al Assad, he looks like maher...
http://youtu.be/H7hs8mUlV68
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bjb0KuEIQAAX-xy.jpg
24 March 2014, 00:42
23
And this is how it's done !
Never let foreign breach of sovereignty. This is how the lebanese army should act !
Meanwhile, Gebran Bassil, traitor in law is not filing complaints against Bashar's criminal regime to the UNSC ! What is he minister of exactly ?
24 March 2014, 10:29
02
of course the chiwawa cries for this syrian pilot but applauds when the very same army bombs lebanon....
