Tensions Flare as Turkey Shoots Down Russian Warplane on Syria Border

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NATO member Turkey on Tuesday shot down a Russian warplane on the Syrian border, an act President Vladimir Putin said would have "serious consequences" for ties between two key protagonists in the Syria war.

The Turkish army said the plane was shot down by two F-16s after violating Turkish airspace 10 times within a five-minute period, an account challenged by Moscow which said it was over Syria.

Turkish television pictures showed the jet exploding and crashing in a ball of flames into a Syrian mountain.

Turkish media said one pilot had been captured by rebel forces in Syria after both ejected by parachute while Syrian opposition sources said one was dead and another missing.

One of the two pilots was killed by fire from the ground after he ejected from the craft, the Russian military said, citing preliminary information.

Military spokesman General Sergei Rudskoi said a Russian soldier had also been killed in a failed bid to rescue the pilots.

Rudskoi said Russia would cease all military contact with Turkey, as international concerns grow that the incident could snowball into a major conflict.

The general said the Su-24 "fell in Syrian territory, four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the border."

"The crew ejected," the general said. "According to preliminary information, one of the pilots died after being fired upon from the ground." The fate of the second pilot was not immediately known.

In a statement published on the defense ministry's website, Rudskoi said a Russian soldier had been killed when his Mi-8 helicopter was "damaged by gunfire and had to land" during a search-and-rescue operation to retrieve the pair.

Two helicopters were used in the operation.

The rest of the crew onboard the stricken Mi-8 were evacuated to the Hmeimim air base in Syria's northern Latakia province, Rudskoi said, adding that the helicopter was hit by mortar fire coming from territory under rebel control.

Rudskoi insisted the Su-24 had not strayed within Turkish airspace, and denied that the Turkish army had tried to make either radio or visual contact with its pilots before shooting it down.

He said the plane was shot down within Syrian airspace and condemned it as a "flagrant violation of international law" that would have "the gravest consequences."

He said that Russia's Moskva guided missile cruiser would be stationed near Latakia. "All targets representing a potential threat to us will be destroyed," he warned.

Russian bombers, which launched strikes on Syria in defense of President Bashar Assad on September 30, will now be escorted by fighters, Rudskoi announced, adding that operations to retrieve the two pilots were continuing.

NATO called an emergency meeting over the incident, the first of its kind since Russia launched air strikes in Syria in September, to the consternation of the West.

The presence of military aircraft from Russia, the United States, France, Turkey and a clutch of Gulf states in Syrian skies had long raised fears of an incident that could quickly escalate into a major diplomatic and military crisis.

With a major diplomatic crisis looming between two states on opposing sides in the Syria conflict, Russia angrily insisted its jet never had entered Turkish airspace.

The shooting down of the plane was "a stab in the back committed by accomplices of terrorists," Putin said at a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II in Moscow.

The Turkish army said the downing took place over the Yayladagi district of Turkey's Hatay province on the border with Syria.

"The plane violated Turkish air space 10 times in five minutes despite warnings," the army said in a statement, adding it was shot down at 0724 GMT "according to the rules of engagement."

Russia summoned the Turkish military attache in Moscow while Ankara summoned Moscow's charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry.

"Everyone must know that it is our international right and national duty to take any measure against whoever violates our air or land borders," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said. 

- 'Pilots ejected' -

Reports said two pilots had ejected from the plane and Turkish television pictures showed two white parachutes descending to the ground.

CNN-Turk said Syrian Turkmen forces fighting the Russian-backed regime of President Bashar Assad had captured one pilot.

Syrian opposition sources meanwhile told AFP one pilot was dead, the second missing.

Turkey's Dogan news agency broadcast footage of what it said was Russian helicopters flying over Syrian territory in an apparent search for the lost men.

The incident came as Russian and Syrian jets are waging a heavy bombing campaign against targets in northern Syria while the U.S.-led coalition continues its own air strikes.

Turkey has expressed anger at the operation, saying it is aimed at buttressing the Syrian regime and has displaced thousands of Turkmen Syrians, an ethnic minority in the area and strong allies of Ankara.

Russia however insists its air strikes are aimed against Islamic State jihadists, who are also being targeted by the U.S.-led coalition.

- NATO calls meeting -

At Ankara's request, NATO allies held an "extraordinary" meeting at 1600 GMT to discuss the incident.

In an apparent sign of caution, Turkey did not request the meeting under NATO's Article Four, under which a member declares that its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat.

Ankara did invoke NATO's Article Four back in October to call just such an emergency meeting after Russian planes violated its airspace several times following the start of Moscow's air campaign against Syrian rebels.

On that occasion, the North Atlantic Council warned of "the extreme danger of such irresponsible behavior" by Russian aircraft.

All 28 NATO members pledge a one-for-all, all-for-one response to any military threat if a member invokes what is known as Article Five when it comes under attack.

The only time Article Five has been invoked was by the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

Turkey, the second largest military power in NATO after the United States, has invoked Article Four several times as the Syrian conflict has spilled over the border.

In response, NATO deployed Patriot missiles which can shoot down both aircraft and incoming missiles, in the south but they were due to be withdrawn at the end of this year. NATO said previously the Patriot deployment was being reviewed.

Russian fighter jets entered Turkish airspace in two separate incidents in October, prompting Ankara to summon the Russian ambassador twice in protest. 

Turkey and Russia have long been at loggerheads over the Syrian conflict, with Ankara seeking Assad's overthrow while Moscow does everything to keep him in power. 

The Turkish military in October also shot down a Russian-made drone that had entered its airspace. But Moscow denied the drone belonged to its forces. 

Along with Saudi Arabia and the United States, Turkey and Russia are taking part in talks in Vienna that aim to narrow differences on the Syria conflict and have taken on an extra importance after the Paris attacks.

Comments 28
Thumb justin 24 November 2015, 10:32

أكدت وسائل إعلام تركية خبر إسقاط طائرة حربية روسية من قبل مقاتلات تركية بسبب انتهاكها المجال الجوي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء.

كما أشارت إلى أن الطائرة سقطت فوق فوق مخيم في قرية يمضية على الجانب السوري من الحدود في ريف اللاذقية الشمالي.

وبحسب المعلومات فإن الحوامات الروسية تحلق بكثافة فوق ريف اللاذقية في محاولة للبحث عن الطيار.

Thumb justin 24 November 2015, 10:40

بالفيديو لحظة سقوط الطائرة الروسية بالقرب من ريف اللاذقية

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLoBLNFRKrU

Thumb justin 24 November 2015, 11:12

Russian Su-24 fighter jet shot over Syria by TURKEY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aryCZEKIlgs

Thumb Mystic 24 November 2015, 13:27

It's a declariation of war. Ottomans need to be nuked.

Thumb jaafar.ibn.iblees 24 November 2015, 13:31

When will you make a declaration it is a martyred moderate iranian jihadi terrorist family in your avatar?

Thumb justin 24 November 2015, 10:42

أكدت مصادر إيرانية إصابة الجنرال قاسم سليماني، قائد "فيلق القدس" في الحرس الثوري الإيراني بجروح خطرة، أثناء معارك ضد فصائل الثوار في سوريا.

وكشف موقع "أسرار إيران"، أن قاسم سليماني أصيب بجروح بالغة في معارك حلب، إثر تعرضه لصاروخ مضاد للدروع من طراز "تاو".

من جهته أكد أمير موسوي مدير مركز الدراسات الاستراتيجية والعلاقات الدولية بطهران والمقرب من النظام إصابة سليماني، وإنه يخضع للعلاج.

Default-user-icon mowaten.santa (Guest) 24 November 2015, 11:34

I must apologize to all of you coz I did not post yesterday under "_mowaten_". I was busy with santa, one of my 60 other aliases.

Thumb justin 24 November 2015, 12:16

Captured Russian Pilot
مقتل الطيار الروسي في ريف اللاذقية

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHd7dZJTFCY

Default-user-icon rudy abu jawdeh (Guest) 24 November 2015, 13:50

southern you believe all your votes are legitimate? aren't you ashamed of yourself?

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 24 November 2015, 14:57

Pathetic creature; keep voting justin down because none of the events he mentioned took place: the russian plane was not downed; the russian pilots were not captured or killed; and the videos are fake.

Thumb EagleDawn 24 November 2015, 10:35

lol those drunken Russians and their antiquated Sukhoi s.

Thumb barrymore 24 November 2015, 10:45

A country that respects its sovereignty and its people will do exactly that. The arrogant Russians have been repeatedly warned. Now, they will take notice.

Default-user-icon illegitimate & illiterate Southern (Guest) 24 November 2015, 10:55

your comments are an inspiration to the oppressed worldwide. Thank you for being you Southern

Default-user-icon the_roar (Guest) 24 November 2015, 11:18

Hello followers and supporters:
I have not posted on this forum in 3 months and yesterday was my first post. I am happy I got 29 votes since coming back from ..... Thank you for your support.

Thumb ashtah 24 November 2015, 11:35

كشفت رئاسة الأركان التركية عن تحذير الطائرة الحربية التي اخترقت الأجواء التركية 10 مرات خلال 5 دقائق، إلا أنها واصلت انتهاكها، وبموجب قواعد الاشتباك قامت طائرتان تابعتان للقوات الجوية التركية من طراز "إف-16"، بإسقاط الطائرة المذكورة.

Default-user-icon abdul amir hajji putin (Guest) 24 November 2015, 11:39

enjoy Vlade'

Thumb ansarullah 24 November 2015, 12:26

Allah Y2awwi She3it Ali
Lan Tousba Zainib Marattayn
Lan Lan Lan Lan
يا علي مدد… مدد…مدد

Default-user-icon illegitimate & illiterate Southern (Guest) 24 November 2015, 14:00

I love how you use 'dragon' and 'bear' to describe a complex geopolitical situation thus making it easy for the common reader to assimilate. Thank you for being who you are

Thumb megahabib 24 November 2015, 14:41

Erdogan is a madman.

Thumb megahabib 24 November 2015, 14:46

Smartest on this page, by far.

Thumb megahabib 24 November 2015, 14:46

Expect Russian support for the Kurds.

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 24 November 2015, 15:09

15:08سقوط طائرة مروحية روسية في سوريا.

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 24 November 2015, 15:14

calm down and eat your sandwich; nothing will happen.

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 24 November 2015, 15:15

أعلنت الفرقة الأولى الساحلية التابعة للجيش السوري الحر عن اسقاط طائرة مروحية عسكرية خلال محاولتها البحث عن الطيارين الذين اسقطت تركيا طائرتمها الحربية في جبل التركمان بريف اللاذقية

Thumb ice-man 24 November 2015, 16:50

How sad.... why are the Turks shooting down Russian fighter jets? why? What wrong did they do? Is fighting takfiris while flying over Turkish airspace a crime now? RIP Dimitri and Sacha

Thumb kanaandian 24 November 2015, 18:32

an extrodinary meeting at request of the state of islam? the islamic state? the caliph erdogan? lets hope russia wipes that filthy country off the face of planet earth

Thumb EagleDawn 24 November 2015, 18:47

hope is all you got my little iranian friend;)

Thumb liberty 25 November 2015, 03:54

mowaten, you are as repulsive and obvious as your fake accounts.