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Who are the Turkmen in Syria? Who are the Turkmen in Syria?
(about 1 hour later)
Turkish military officials say two F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane on Tuesday after repeated warnings that it was violating Turkish airspace. The Turkmen are ethnic Turks who have lived in the region of Syria, Iraq and Iran since the 11th Century.
Video footage is circulating of what appears to be the body of one of the pilots, surrounded by armed men shouting Islamic slogans.
An ethnic Turkmen rebel group in northern Syria says it has recovered one of the pilots and was "looking for the other".
The Turkmens are ethnic Turks who have lived in the region of Syria, Iraq and Iran since the 11th century.
There are no reliable population figures, but they are estimated to number between 1.5 and 3.5 million.There are no reliable population figures, but they are estimated to number between 1.5 and 3.5 million.
Under the Assad regime, the Turkmens were banned from publishing or writing in Turkish. Under the Assad regimes in Syria, the Turkmen were banned from publishing or writing in Turkish as the government did not recognise them as a minority.
Syrian Turkmen Brigades Supported by Turkey, a staunch foe of Bashar al-Assad, they took up arms against the regime soon after the start of the uprising in 2011.
The Syrian Turkmen Brigades are around 10,000 strong and were set up in 2012 as the civil war in Syria took hold. They are one of the main Turkish-trained Turkmen opposition groups operating in the area where the Russian plane crashed. Syrian Turkmen parties also united under the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, which is affiliated to Syria's Western- and Gulf-backed National Coalition opposition group.
The Turkmen have formed numerous Turkish-trained rebel groups, including the 10,000-strong Syrian Turkmen Brigades in 2012.
Their military structure is loose and they maintain a number of units in northern Syria.Their military structure is loose and they maintain a number of units in northern Syria.
Their brigade in Latakia Province, the Jabal al-Turkman Brigade, was formed in 2013 and is composed of 12 armed units. Their brigade in Latakia Province, the Jabal al-Turkman Brigade, was formed in 2013 and comprises 12 armed units.
Its Second Coastal Division was formed in early 2015 and is closely affiliated with the rebel Free Syrian Army. Its Second Coastal Division was formed in early 2015 and is closely affiliated with the Western-backed rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Reports say the brigades work with other opposition armed groups in the northern Latakia countryside, including the FSA, the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front and the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham. Reports say the brigades work with other opposition armed groups in the northern Latakia countryside, including the FSA, the al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front and the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham.
Their main opponents are the regular Syrian army and the Islamic State [IS] militant group. Their main opponents are the regular Syrian army and the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Pro-Kurdish BrigadePro-Kurdish Brigade
A further unit - the Sultan Selim Brigade - is a pro-Kurdish group reportedly composed mainly of Turkmen from near Kobane.A further unit - the Sultan Selim Brigade - is a pro-Kurdish group reportedly composed mainly of Turkmen from near Kobane.
Its fighters have long sided with the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG) and joined the US-backed Kurdish-led opposition coalition called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 10 October.Its fighters have long sided with the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG) and joined the US-backed Kurdish-led opposition coalition called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 10 October.
The pro-Kurdish Turkmen fighters also took part in earlier YPG-led offensives against IS.The pro-Kurdish Turkmen fighters also took part in earlier YPG-led offensives against IS.
The northern countryside around Latakia has often been the flashpoint of clashes between the brigades on the one hand, and the Syrian army, Iranian forces and Lebanese Hezbollah on the other, who enjoy Russian air support.The northern countryside around Latakia has often been the flashpoint of clashes between the brigades on the one hand, and the Syrian army, Iranian forces and Lebanese Hezbollah on the other, who enjoy Russian air support.
Turkey recently warned Russia that it must immediately stop bombing "civilian Turkmen villages" in Syria, close to the Turkish border.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.