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| Turkey Downs Warplane From Syria After Warning | Turkey Downs Warplane From Syria After Warning |
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| ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish fighter jets shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday after it violated Turkish airspace, Turkey’s prime minister said, part of the longstanding hostilities between the two nations over the conflict in Syria. | ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish fighter jets shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday after it violated Turkish airspace, Turkey’s prime minister said, part of the longstanding hostilities between the two nations over the conflict in Syria. |
| “If you violate my airspace, our slap will be a hard one,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised campaign speech in northwestern Turkey. Mr. Erdogan praised the Turkish military for its response, as did President Abdullah Gul, according to a report by NTV, a private television channel. | “If you violate my airspace, our slap will be a hard one,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised campaign speech in northwestern Turkey. Mr. Erdogan praised the Turkish military for its response, as did President Abdullah Gul, according to a report by NTV, a private television channel. |
| Two Syrian warplanes entered the airspace over southern Turkey on Sunday, but one turned back to Syria after the pilots were warned against entering by the Turkish Air Force, a statement posted on the military’s website said. When the other Syrian plane did not comply, it was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet, the statement said. | Two Syrian warplanes entered the airspace over southern Turkey on Sunday, but one turned back to Syria after the pilots were warned against entering by the Turkish Air Force, a statement posted on the military’s website said. When the other Syrian plane did not comply, it was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet, the statement said. |
| The flight of the two Syrian MIG-23 jets heading north from Syria was monitored for 80 nautical miles, and the pilots were warned four times before reaching 10 nautical miles of Turkish airspace, the statement said. | The flight of the two Syrian MIG-23 jets heading north from Syria was monitored for 80 nautical miles, and the pilots were warned four times before reaching 10 nautical miles of Turkish airspace, the statement said. |
| One of the planes continued to fly for one-and-a-half kilometers into Turkish airspace before “one of our F-16 planes on patrol fired a missile to the Syrian plane in line with the rules of engagement,” the Turkish military said. | One of the planes continued to fly for one-and-a-half kilometers into Turkish airspace before “one of our F-16 planes on patrol fired a missile to the Syrian plane in line with the rules of engagement,” the Turkish military said. |
| Turkish television stations showed still aerial images of the Syrian plane after it was shot over the border town of Yayladagi in Hatay Province, just before it crashed near the Kasab crossing in Latakia Province, Syria, which rebels and fighters from Syria’s Al Qaeda affiliate have seized. | Turkish television stations showed still aerial images of the Syrian plane after it was shot over the border town of Yayladagi in Hatay Province, just before it crashed near the Kasab crossing in Latakia Province, Syria, which rebels and fighters from Syria’s Al Qaeda affiliate have seized. |
| Syria’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Turkey’s actions. “The Turkish government should end its aggression,” it said, adding that Turkey’s leaders “should not drag the Turkish Army into an adventure.” | Syria’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Turkey’s actions. “The Turkish government should end its aggression,” it said, adding that Turkey’s leaders “should not drag the Turkish Army into an adventure.” |
| The Syrian state news agency, Sana, said in a statement on its Facebook page that Turkey targeted the plane in Syrian airspace while it was pursing “terrorist gangs,” the Syrian government’s term for the rebels and the jihadists who fight alongside them. | The Syrian state news agency, Sana, said in a statement on its Facebook page that Turkey targeted the plane in Syrian airspace while it was pursing “terrorist gangs,” the Syrian government’s term for the rebels and the jihadists who fight alongside them. |
| The pilot ejected before the plane crashed, the Syrian military said, according to reports by The Associated Press and Reuters. Some news reports said that the pilot said he was shot down while still inside Syrian airspace. | The pilot ejected before the plane crashed, the Syrian military said, according to reports by The Associated Press and Reuters. Some news reports said that the pilot said he was shot down while still inside Syrian airspace. |
| Heavy fighting between rebel groups and the Syrian armed forces has paralyzed Turkey’s southern border with Syria often since the start of the conflict in 2011. The conflict has taken a more complicated turn as radical Islamist groups have gained power among the rebels and often engaged in battles against them. | Heavy fighting between rebel groups and the Syrian armed forces has paralyzed Turkey’s southern border with Syria often since the start of the conflict in 2011. The conflict has taken a more complicated turn as radical Islamist groups have gained power among the rebels and often engaged in battles against them. |
| Turkey cut ties with Syria in 2011 and since then it has officially been providing support to an umbrella group for the Syrian political opposition, which also had a military wing active along Turkey’s southern border. The rebels have clearly benefited from some level of Turkish logistical and military support, although the Turkish government has denied arming the fighters. | Turkey cut ties with Syria in 2011 and since then it has officially been providing support to an umbrella group for the Syrian political opposition, which also had a military wing active along Turkey’s southern border. The rebels have clearly benefited from some level of Turkish logistical and military support, although the Turkish government has denied arming the fighters. |
| Turkey was lobbying for an international military response against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad even before the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. | Turkey was lobbying for an international military response against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad even before the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. |
| Turkey refrained from taking unilateral military action against Syrian forces even after Syria shot down one of Turkey’s military planes that was on a patrol along the border in June 2012. | Turkey refrained from taking unilateral military action against Syrian forces even after Syria shot down one of Turkey’s military planes that was on a patrol along the border in June 2012. |
| That episode led the Turkish Parliament to revise the military’s rules of engagement, and last September Turkey shot down a Syrian military helicopter after officials said it had violated Turkish airspace. | That episode led the Turkish Parliament to revise the military’s rules of engagement, and last September Turkey shot down a Syrian military helicopter after officials said it had violated Turkish airspace. |
| In Syria on Sunday, a cousin of Mr. Assad was killed in the fighting near Syria’s northern border, according to activists and state television. | In Syria on Sunday, a cousin of Mr. Assad was killed in the fighting near Syria’s northern border, according to activists and state television. |
| The president’s cousin, Hilal al-Assad, was a leader of the National Defense Force, a militia that fights alongside the Syrian Army. |