This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/syria-crisis-tensions-escalate-as-turkey-says-it-shot-down-syrian-warplane-9210847.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Syria crisis: Tensions rise after Turkey shoots down Syrian warplane | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Turkey’s armed forces shot down a Syrian plane on Sunday after it crossed into Turkish airspace in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. | Turkey’s armed forces shot down a Syrian plane on Sunday after it crossed into Turkish airspace in a border region where Syrian rebels have been battling against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| “A Syrian plane violated our air space,” the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told an election rally of his supporters in the north-west of the country. | “A Syrian plane violated our air space,” the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told an election rally of his supporters in the north-west of the country. |
| “Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my air space, our slap after this will be hard.” | “Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my air space, our slap after this will be hard.” |
| The rebels have been fighting for control of the Kasab crossing in the border region since Friday when they launched an offensive that, according to Syrian authorities, was backed by Turkey’s military. | The rebels have been fighting for control of the Kasab crossing in the border region since Friday when they launched an offensive that, according to Syrian authorities, was backed by Turkey’s military. |
| Syria said that Turkish air defences shot down the jet while it was attacking rebel forces inside Syrian territory and called the move “blatant aggression”. | Syria said that Turkish air defences shot down the jet while it was attacking rebel forces inside Syrian territory and called the move “blatant aggression”. |
| State television quoted a military source as saying that the pilot managed to eject from the aircraft. | State television quoted a military source as saying that the pilot managed to eject from the aircraft. |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist monitoring group, said that initial reports from the area said the plane came down on the Syrian side of the border. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist monitoring group, said that initial reports from the area said the plane came down on the Syrian side of the border. |
| Al Manar, the television station of Assad’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah, reported that two rockets had been fired from Turkish territory at the Syrian jet. | Al Manar, the television station of Assad’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah, reported that two rockets had been fired from Turkish territory at the Syrian jet. |
| Reuters | Reuters |