TURKEY/FILE: Tensions mount between Turkey and Syria as Turkish jets deter Syrian helicopters flying close to Turkish border
Record ID:
644385
TURKEY/FILE: Tensions mount between Turkey and Syria as Turkish jets deter Syrian helicopters flying close to Turkish border
- Title: TURKEY/FILE: Tensions mount between Turkey and Syria as Turkish jets deter Syrian helicopters flying close to Turkish border
- Date: 2nd July 2012
- Summary: KILIS, TURKEY (JULY 2, 2012) (REUTERS) TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER GATE TURKISH AND SYRIAN FLAGS FLYING SMOKE RISING NEARBY A HOUSE FROM SYRIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER SYRIAN HELICOPTER FLYING ON SYRIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER SMOKE RISING FROM HOUSES ON SYRIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER AS SEEN FROM TURKISH SIDE VARIOUS OF A MISSILE LAUNCHER STATIONED AT TURKISH BORDERPOST
- Embargoed: 17th July 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVA9FO6C27FL7PZXI83EO2GDAQHH
- Story Text: Turkey's armed forces command said on Monday (July 2) it had scrambled a total of six F-16 fighter jets in three separate incidents responding to Syrian military helicopters approaching the border on Sunday (July 1), but there was no violation of Turkish airspace.
It was the second time in as many days Turkish jets were scrambled in response to Syrian helicopters flying near the border.
In a statement on its website, the chief of general staff said the jets had been scrambled from Incirlik air base in southern Turkey after Syrian helicopters were spotted flying south of the Turkish province of Hatay.
It said two helicopters had come within 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) and one helicopter had come within 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) of the border. Two of the helicopters were MI-8 type aircraft and one was a MI-17, all Russian-built transport helicopters.
On Sunday (July 1), the military said it had scrambled six F-16s near its border with Syria after similar transport helicopters were spotted flying either within 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) of the border or "close" to the border.
Turkey's heightened military activity along its southern border comes after Syria shot down one of its jets over the Mediterranean on June 22, prompting a sharp rebuke from Ankara which said it would respond "decisively" to the attack.
Turkey has beefed up its troop presence and air defences along the border since the incident and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the military's rules of engagement had been changed and any Syrian element approaching Turkey's border and deemed a threat would be treated as a military target.
Erdogan did not elaborate on how close the Syrians would have to approach before they were viewed as a threat or exactly how Turkey would respond. The Syrian helicopters on Sunday appeared to have approached much nearer to the Turkish border than the previous day.
Syria acknowledges shooting down the Turkish jet but says it was acting in self-defence and brought it down in Syrian air space. Turkey says the jet accidentally violated Syrian air space for a few minutes but was brought down in international air space.
While the incident has heightened tension between the once-close allies, neither Turkey, which fears a local clash escalating into a regional sectarian conflagration, nor Syria, has any interest in a confrontation on their shared border.
Turkey has become increasingly vocal against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, calling for him to step down, and has given sanctuary to rebels and groups opposing the Syrian leader. There are also more than 35,000 Syrian refugees living in camps along Turkey's border with Syria.
ENDS - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None