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Turkey shoots down unidentified drone near Syrian border Turkey shoots down unidentified drone near Syrian border
(35 minutes later)
Turkish warplanes shot down an unidentified drone inside Turkish air space near the Syrian border on Friday, a senior government official said. Turkish warplanes shot down an unidentified drone in Turkish air space near Syria on Friday, amid confusion about its nationality.
The military said earlier in a statement that it had shot down an unidentified aircraft after issuing three warnings, in line with the Nato member’s rules of engagement. A US official said Washington suspected that the drone was Russian but the defence ministry in Moscow said all of its planes in Syria had safely returned to base and that all its drones were operating “as planned”.
Broadcaster NTV said the drone, with unidentified nationality, had been brought down around 1.9 miles inside Turkish air space. The downing of the drone highlights the risks to Turkey, a member of Nato, as Syrian, Russian and US coalition aircraft fly combat missions so close to its borders.
Amid speculation that the drone was Russian, Moscow said all its planes in Syria had safely returned to base and all its drones were operating “as planned”r, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. The Turkish military said its jets had shot down the aircraft after it continued flying despite three warnings, in line with its rules of engagement. Broadcaster NTV said it had come 3km (1.9 miles) into Turkish air space.
Two Russian jets violated Turkish air space earlier this month, bringing the Syrian conflict across Nato’s borders. Turkey has warned it would respond if the violations continue. “It’s a drone. We are trying to identify its nationality,” said a senior Turkish government official.
The Russian air force officially informed the Turkish military about the earleir violations on Thursday, saying it would take to prevent a repetition. A US official said that Washington suspected it was a Russian drone, but declined to give any more details.
Turkey has also reported unidentified aircraft and Syria-based missile air defence systems harassing its warplanes. Russian jets violated Turkish air space on two occasions earlier this month and Turkey has warned it will respond if the incursions are repeated.
More details soon … Russia’s air strikes in Syria mean that Russian and Nato planes are now flying combat missions in the same air space for the first time since the second world war.
The Russian air force officially informed the Turkish military on Thursday about the violations by Russian jets earlier this month, and about steps it would take to prevent a repetition.
Turkey has also reported unidentified aircraft and Syria-based missile air defence systems harassing its warplanes several times in recent months.