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Related: About this forumTurkey 'shoots down Russian warplane on Syria border'
The Turkish military has reportedly shot down a Russian military aircraft on the border with Syria.
Russia's defence ministry said an Su-24 had crashed on Syrian territory after being hit by fire from the ground.
But Turkish military officials said Turkish F-16s had shot down the plane after repeatedly warning its two crew they were violating Turkish airspace.
The crew ejected before the jet crashed in Latakia province, but Syrian rebels said at least one was dead.
It is the first time a Russian aircraft has crashed in Syria since Moscow launched air strikes against opponents of President Bashar al-Assad in late September.
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34907983
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Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Here’s a summary of where things currently stand amid conflicting versions of exactly what happened and terse verbal exchanges between Russia and Turkey.
Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has warned Turkey of ‘serious consequences’ after a Russia fighter jet was shot down close to Turkey’s border with Syria. Putin described the incident as a “stab in the back” and accused Turkey of siding with Islamic State militants in Syria.
Turkey has summoned Russia’s envoy in Ankara and said it had a right to defend its territory. A Turkish official said: “This isn’t an action against any specific country: Our F-16s took necessary steps to defend Turkey’s sovereign territory.”
The Turkish military said it shot down the plane after it penetrated Turkish airspace in the province of Hatay at 9.20am warning it to leave 10 times in five minutes before it was shot down. Turkey published radar images claiming to show the plane briefly flying over its southern territory.
Russia said its SU-24 plane never left Syrian airspace. Putin said it came down 4km from the border with Turkey and did not pose a threat to Turkey.
Video footage showed the pilots parachuting out of the plane before it crashed. An anti-Assad rebel group in Syria said both pilots were killed after parachuting from the jet. This has yet to be confirmed.
Turkey is to brief fellow Nato members about the incident at an extraordinary meeting in Brussels at 1600 GMT. The meeting was requested by Turkey.
Map showing the location of the downed Russian warplane
http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/nov/24/russian-jet-downed-by-turkish-planes-near-syrian-border-live-updates
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Three Russian correspondents were injured after a press convoy was shelled on the Turkish-Syrian border.
Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that cars transporting Russian journalists came yesterday under shelling attack with Tau anti-tank missiles as the convoy was moving in advanced sites controlled by the Syrian army in al-Dighmashliyeh area that leads to the strategic Zweik Mountain in the northern countryside of Lattakia.
Three journalists sustained injuries in the attack, the statement added.
RT said its Arabic-language correspondent Sargon Hadaya is being hospitalized at the Russian air base after he was injured by pieces of shrapnel.
http://en.abna24.com/service/europe/archive/2015/11/24/721357/story.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Don’t Panic, Turkey Shooting Down a Russian Jet Won’t Start World War III
Russia and the West have many reasons to avoid conflict, but this incident still shows how dangerous the Syria Crisis is for the world.
The apparent downing of a Russian fighter jet by Turkey which Ankara claims was violating its airspace, despite ten warnings – is an exceptionally dangerous moment in Syria’s four-year civil war.
But, in the context of warming diplomatic relations with Moscow and the extraordinary risks of escalation, Turkey’s Western allies are likelier to proceed with extreme caution.
http://en.alalam.ir/news/1762969
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)hell hope so.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Stay tuned, we won't be told what is decided, but we can still see what they do.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)The President of the Syrian National Council, George Sabra, has said that the opposition in the country is counting on the upcoming conference in Riyadh under the auspices of Saudi Arabia. Opposition groups also view the governments in Riyadh, Ankara and Doha as the main supporters of the Syrian people.
“The Riyadh conference is expected to clarify part of our vision for the future, and could contribute to the unification of political and military forces on the ground,” Sabra told Quds Press. He explained that the Syrian opposition has taken significant steps to unify itself, and the Syrian people know this.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is touring the Middle East at the moment, starting yesterday with talks in Abu Dhabi to discuss ways to build a coalition of Syrian opposition to lead the peace talks with representatives of the regime. “The Syrian people have joined the opposition,” commented Sabra, “as they did in Cairo in 2012 and last year when we met in Paris and Geneva. They know the true opposition, because it is more than four decades old.”
He pointed out that Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime are living in increasing international isolation, especially after it was revealed that 95 per cent of Russia’s military targets in Syria belong to the Free Syrian Army and Syrian civilians. “As such,” he concluded, “the UN General Assembly's recent call on Russia and Iran to pull out of Syria confirms that Russian and Iranian propaganda has been exposed, and that they have failed to rehabilitate the Syrian regime.”
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/22445-saudi-qatar-and-turkey-are-main-supporters-of-syrian-revolution
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Russia has delivered the first of five S-300 anti-missile defence systems to Tehran, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow revealed on Monday. “Iran and Russia signed a new contract and the delivery of the S-300 systems has started,” said Mehdi Sanaei.
According to the Iranian Tasnim news agency, Sanaei pointed out that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, cancelled the missile defence deal in 2010, “under pressure from the West”. That position has “improved” today, he added.
Moscow and Tehran signed the initial S-300 contract in 2007 for the delivery of five S-300 systems worth $800 million. In 2010 the contract was put on hold by Medvedev due to UN sanctions on Iran. In return, Iran started a $4 billion lawsuit at an international court in Geneva against Russia’s arms export agency. The current Russian President, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree lifting the ban in April this year.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/22447-russia-delivers-first-s-300-missile-defence-system-to-iran
bemildred
(90,061 posts)NATO has called an “extraordinary meeting” at 5pm Brussels time Tuesday after a Russian fighter plane was shot down near the Syrian border with Turkey earlier in the day.
Reports are conflicting on whether the Russian plane, reportedly an Su-24, was shot down by a surface to air missile, as Russians initially claimed, or by Turkish F-16s.
EXCL: US official confirms #Turkey F16 shot down #Russia warplane near #Syria border. @FoxNews
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 24, 2015
Both pilots of the Russian plane were seeing ejecting from the plane and parachuting to Earth. Reuters reports that Syrian rebels claim one of the pilots is dead.
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/11/479197-nato-calls-extraordinary-meeting-after-russian-fighter-plane-shot-down-near-syrian-turkish-border/
bemildred
(90,061 posts)European Union president Donald Tusk called for calm on Nov. 24 after Turkey, a candidate for membership of the bloc, shot down a Russian war plane on the Syrian border.
"In this dangerous moment after downing of Russian jet, all should remain cool headed and calm," tweeted Tusk, the former Polish prime minister.
Tusk is due to host a difficult EU summit with Turkey in Brussels on Nov. 29 which was supposed to focus on a deal to stem Europe's migrant crisis.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini meanwhile said she had spoken to Jens Stoltenberg, the head of the NATO military alliance of which Turkey is a member.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eus-tusk-urges-all-to-stay-cool-headed-after-russian-jet-downed-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=91607&NewsCatID=352
bemildred
(90,061 posts)European leaders mostly urged Turkey and Russia to remain calm and communicate better after Turkey shot down a Russian plane on Tuesday at the Syrian border after the Russian jet violated Turkish airspace, while the US said the incident is between the Russian and Turkish governments.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk has called on Turkey and Russia to remain “cool headed and calm,” posting on his Twitter account on Tuesday, after Turkey shot down a Russian jet at the Syrian border.
Tusk tweeted, “In this dangerous moment after downing of Russian jet, all should remain cool headed and calm.”
The French news agency AFP reported on Tuesday that Germany has urged Russia and Turkey to show "prudence, common sense."
http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_europeans-call-on-turkey-russia-to-remain-calm-us-says-its-between-turkey-russia_405171.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Turkey backstabbed Russia by downing the Russian warplane and acted as accomplices of the terrorists, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
“This incident stands out against the usual fight against terrorism. Our troops are fighting heroically against terrorists, risking their lives. But the loss we suffered today came from a stab in the back delivered by accomplices of the terrorists,” Putin said.
Putin said the plane was hit by a Turkish warplane as it was traveling at an altitude of 6000 meters about a kilometer from the Turkish border. It was hit by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet. The crash site is four kilometers from the border. The plane posed no threat to Turkish national security, he stressed.
Putin said the plane was targeting terrorist targets in the Latakia province of Syria, many of whom came from Russia.
https://www.rt.com/news/323262-putin-downing-plane-syria/
bemildred
(90,061 posts)By dpa correspondents
Beirut/Brussels (dpa) - The Turkish air force shot down a Russian fighter plane near the border with Syria Tuesday, with Syrian rebels saying they killed one member of the crew after he ejected.
The Turkish military said that a plane of unknown nationality was shot down after violating Turkish airspace and ignoring warnings, state news agency Anadolu reported. The agency cited presidential sources saying the plane was Russian.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that a jet taking part in operations in Syria "crashed on the territory of Syria, supposedly shot down from the ground."
The plane had been flying at 6,000 metres and was over Syrian territory throughout its flight as "registered by objective monitoring data," the Minstry said.
http://www.dpa-international.com/news/international/turkey-shoots-down-russian-jet-syrian-rebels-claim-killing-of-pilot-a-47431347.html
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Last edited Tue Nov 24, 2015, 10:29 AM - Edit history (1)
Russian president has accused Turkey of "stabbing Russia in the back", as reports say one pilot has been killed and a second has been captured by Turkmen forces in Syria
Cameron: Concerned abour reports
Ben Riley-Smith, Political Correspondent, has this from today's Number 10 briefing:
David Cameron is concerned about reports of a Russian warplane being shot down over Turkey but is waiting before the facts are established before commenting fully, Number 10 has said.
In a briefing with journalists, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Clearly the Prime Minister is aware of the reports of what happened this morning.
“There is now, obviously, an investigation to try and establish exactly what happened this morning.”
Pushed on Mr Cameron’s reaction, the spokesman said: “Clearly any time any airplane is shot down in any part of the world that would be a concern.
"But let’s pause until we understand the full facts of exactly what happened.”
He added that the UK government will “use the relationships that we have” to establish exactly what has happened – an indication that our embassies in the area will be in full action.
The crash was not discussed at a Cabinet meeting this morning.
13:32
Is this the pilot?
In this picture, on the left hand side, the flight jacket of a Russian fighter pilot is shown together with a grab from an unverified video which purportedly shows the unidentified body of pilot recovered after the plane was shot down.
I must stress that the Telegraph cannot confirm that the image on the right hand side is from today's crash but we are seeking to verify the image.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12013212/Turkey-shoots-down-Russian-military-plane-on-Syria-border-live.html
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey shot down a Russian warplane Tuesday, claiming it had violated Turkish airspace and ignored repeated warnings. Russia denied that the plane crossed the Syrian border into Turkish skies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Russian Su-24 jet was shot by a missile from a Turkish jet over Syria about one kilometer (just over a half-mile) away from the Turkish border, which he described as a "stab in the back by the terrorists' accomplices."
Putin warned that the incident would have "significant consequences" for its relations with Turkey and criticized Ankara for turning to NATO to discuss the incident instead of first explaining to Russia what happened.
"We are looking into the circumstances of the crash of the Russian jet," Russia's Defense Ministry said. "The Ministry of Defense would like to stress that the plane was over the Syrian territory throughout the flight."
Russia said the Su-24 was downed by artillery fire, but Turkey claimed that its F-16s fired on the Russian plane after it ignored several warnings.
http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/north-atlantic-council-to-meet-over-turkey-s-downing-of-russian-jet-1.380342
bemildred
(90,061 posts)BEIRUT- Syrian fighters fired at a Russian helicopter forcing it to make an emergency landing in a nearby government-held area in Syria's Latakia province on Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
A Syrian insurgent group, recipient of US Tow missiles, said its fighters hit the helicopter with an anti-tank missile.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Syria-insurgents-hit-Russian-helicopter-435203
bemildred
(90,061 posts)BEIRUT – A Russian helicopter flying over northwestern Syria has crash landed after being targeted by rebels, hours after Turkey shot down a Russian jet along the Syrian border.
The Free Syrian Army-affiliated First Coastal Division—which reportedly receives covert backing from the US Central Intelligence Agency—announced Tuesday that it had downed a Russian helicopter with a TOW anti-tank guided missile.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights tracking the conflict in the war-torn country said that the Russian helicopter had landed in an area controlled by regime forces in the northern Latakia countryside.
“The helicopter made a forced landing after it was targeted by rebel factions in northern Latakia countryside,” the monitoring NGO said.
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports/566273-syria-rebels-force-russia-helicopter-into-crash-landing
bemildred
(90,061 posts)The Syrian Army has advanced against the ISIS militants near al-Hayyal and has deployed its units in the Southern side of Palmyra in Homs province, as the pro-government forces are readying to launch the final attack on the city from three directions, Fars News Agency reports.
In addition to their advance at Al-Hayyal, the Syrian Armed Forces and their allies captured more territory along the Homs-Deir Ez-Zor Highway that leads to Palmyra’s Western side; this has paved the way for them to push towards the Qatari Royal Family’s villa that is now used by the ISIS as a training base for their new recruits.
With their recent success on the Southern and Western flanks of Palmyra, the Syrian Armed Forces are now in a position to attack this ancient desert city from three different sides, while the Russian Air Force strrikes the Palmyra Militay Airport and the road leading to the East district.
Reports also said on Tuesday that ISIS has sent hundreds of fresh troops, weapons and equipment to the city in the last several days in anticipation of heavy battles with the Syrian army in a decisive war.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/11/24/isis-trapped-in-palmyra-as-syrian-army-prepares-for-final-attack-on-ancient-city/
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Istanbul. Mayis Alizade – APA. The incident with the Russian warplane over the Turkish-Syrian border should be thoroughly analyzed, former intelligence director of the Turkish General Staff, Lt. Gen. İsmail Hakkı Pekin told APA’s Turkey correspondent.
“Mujahadeen forces - Chechens and Uyghurs are fighting against the Syrian government forces in two hills of Bayir Bucak region. Those jihadists are succumbing to panic as Russia warplanes and Syrian army advance,” he said.
The US wants to create a confrontation between Turkey and Russia over this incident, the former intelligence director said, noting that rising to the bait, Turkey asked for NATO’s assistance.
“We shouldn’t forget that the Russian warplane was shot down on the US-Israel corridor,” he added.
http://en.apa.az/-_235378.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Russia will have to resort to electronic warfare in Syria to protect its pilots and prevent incidents similar to the downing of Russia’s Su-24 jet on Tuesday, according to Lieutenant-General Evgeny Buzhinsky; they will include both ground-based systems and equipment installed on special aircraft.
“Regarding the possible impact of this incident on the further developments of the operation in Syria, I think that from now on, our pilots will be more attentive and if the Turks continue behaving in such a manner, Russia will have to resort to electronic jamming and other warfare equipment, including special aircraft with special equipment on board, in order to protect our pilots from being stricken with missiles,” said the lieutenant-general.
Buzhinsky also added that the so-called means of objective control, including flight radar and other equipment, will allow Russia to verify exactly where and how the bomber was downed, excluding any possible discrepancies on the issue.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Su-24 bomber was downed by an air-to-air missile in Syria near the Turkish border by the Turkish Air Force while carrying out precision strikes against terrorists in northern Syria.
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151124/1030665306/russia-syria-electronic-warfare.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Turkmen rebels have claimed that they have shot dead two Russian pilots after they auto-ejected from their plane with parachutes, after two Turkish jets shot down a Russian SU-24 fighter jet.
Speaking to the Doğan News Agency, Turkmen Deputy Commander to the 2nd Coast Division Alpaslan Çelik confirmed that both pilots were killed.
“We shot the pilots while they were landing with parachutes. Their bodies are here,” Çelik said.
Meanwhile, Commander Başer Molla also said the Turkmen rebels had seized back control of the key Kızıldağ area in the region.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-rebels-hit-russian-helicopter-observatory.aspx?pageID=238&nID=91597&NewsCatID=352
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Turkey has "all but closed its borders" to Syrian refugees, many of whom say they have been beaten, detained and expelled by Turkish border guards while trying to escape the devastating civil war that has sent millions fleeing Syria, nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday.
The U.N. refugee agency says Turkey has registered more than 2 million Syrians as refugees since the conflict began nearly five years ago. Although traffickers have continued to help refugees cross into Turkey through smuggling routes, HRW said Monday that Ankara had stepped up border enforcement at unofficial crossing points in July after closing its last two official crossings in March of this year to all but those with urgent medical needs.
Those official crossings have not been re-opened, HRW said, citing "nongovernmental agencies in Turkey close to the Syrian border."
"Turkey’s border closure is forcing pregnant women, children, the elderly, the sick, and the injured to run the gauntlet of Turkish border officials to escape the horrors of Syria’s war," HRW’s Gerry Simpson, a senior refugee researcher, said in a statement issued by the group.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/11/23/turkey-closes-borders-to-syrian-refugees-hrw-says.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)ANKARA,— Turkish president on Tuesday approved a new government led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, which is composed of several names close to the president, including his son-in-law.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Davutoglu to form a new government last week after the ruling Justice and Development Party — founded by Erdogan and led by him for more than a decade— made a strong comeback in Turkey’s Nov. 1 election. Erdogan’s son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, was appointed Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Davutoglu announced, in a news conference after his meeting with Erdogan. The Cabinet included other politicians known to be close to Erdogan, in a clear indication that the president would retain influence over the government.
http://ekurd.net/erdogan-approves-turkish-cabinet-2015-11-24
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday he would not visit Turkey as planned on Nov. 25 following Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet.
Lavrov, speaking to reporters in the southern Russian city of Sochi, advised Russians not to visit Turkey and said the threat of terrorism there was the no less than in Egypt, where a bomb attack brought down a Russian passenger plane last month.
http://www.businessinsider.com/russias-foreign-minister-cancels-his-trip-to-turkey-after-jet-downing-2015-11
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may cancel the planned visit to Russia, the presidential administration of Turkey told Trend Nov.24.
http://en.trend.az/world/turkey/2460573.html
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Turkey has been consistent in pursuing its own agenda: to pretend to be fighting ISIS while settling scores with one of the two parties that are actually capable of fighting ISIS on the ground – the Kurds, says Foreign Affairs Editor Srdja Trifkovic.
As a Russian Su-24 fighter jet operating over Syria was shot down, RT discussed with experts the reasons and possible consequences of this incident.
"It is perfectly consistent with Turkish behavior since it ostensibly joined the anti-ISIS campaign last July.
Over 80 percent of the tonnage of their bombs would drop on the Kurds fighting ISIS in Northern Syria and North Western Iraq. So, in fact Turkey has been consistent in pursuing its own agenda which is to pretend to be fighting ISIS while settling scores with one of the two parties that are actually capable of fighting ISIS on the ground, the other being, of course, the Syrian Army.
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/323287-su24-fighter-russia-turkey-syria/
darkangel218
(13,985 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)WASHINGTON — President Obama welcomed President François Hollande of France to the White House on Tuesday to map out the future of the international campaign against the Islamic State as pressure rose for a more aggressive approach.
Just over 10 days after terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people, Mr. Hollande arrives in Washington seeking to stitch together a tighter alliance against the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility. But the prospect for a broader consensus was made more challenging by a complex mosaic of competing interests.
Mr. Hollande hoped to bring together the United States and Russia against a mutual enemy, but the two former Cold War rivals remained divided by fundamental differences over the fate of Syria. While Russia’s new air campaign in Syria ostensibly targets the Islamic State, it seems aimed mainly at bolstering the government of President Bashar al-Assad, whom Mr. Obama has said should step down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/25/world/middleeast/hollande-obama-islamic-state-paris-attacks.html?_r=0
jakeXT
(10,575 posts)Greece could funnel gas through Italy
ATHENS – The process to construct the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is moving forward, top-level sources at Greece’s Energy and Environment Ministry said on November 23, adding that Athens is also in discussion with Moscow over the expansion of Russia’s Turkish Stream pipeline from the Turkish-Greek border to Italy.
“The interest in Russia’s Turkish Stream in higher than ever before because it seems that there are more countries in Europe that want to be involved, especially Italy and France,” sources said, adding that before it was just Greece and Russia pushing the project.
Greece’s Environment and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis discussed Turkish Stream with Russian deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich on November 20 in Athens. The Russian deputy premier also discussed the project with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Skourletis will meet with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on December 2 in Moscow where he will discuss Turkish Stream’s expansion via the southern European gas pipeline from Turkey’s border to Italy via the Poseidon pipeline (Interconnection Turkey Greece Italy – ITGI), the sources said.
They noted that ITGI, TAP and IGB are on the European Commission’s list of key energy infrastructure projects (Projects of Common Interest, PCI).
http://neurope.eu/article/tap-on-tap-russias-turkish-stream-picks-up-steam/
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande announced Tuesday they will step up coordination on fighting the so-called Islamic State as well as increase information sharing on potential terror threats.
After talks at the White House, they pledged to broaden the scale of airstrikes on the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria, as well as target its financial networks. Obama also called on the European Union to share airline passenger information so the U.S. could assess incoming travelers.
Discussion was further complicated Tuesday by a Turkish jet shooting down a Russian warplane. Obama noted that Turkey had a right to defend its territory, but also urged the NATO ally and Russia not to let tensions escalate.
Russia's strategy in the Middle East has served as a point of contention. Obama and Hollande criticized Russia for its attacks on an array of rebel groups seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad rather than take action only against ISIS..
Hollande contended Assad's transition from power should come "as soon as possible."
Both leaders also addressed the refugee crisis created by the Syrian civil war and ISIS' rise. Obama decried efforts by legislators and state officials to block U.S. plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees, saying the U.S. risked abandoning its principles.
Since the Paris attacks, France has not changed its plans to accept 30,000 refugees in the next two years.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/24/obama-france-and-us-will-step-up-coordination-to-defeat-isis.html
