Turkey Shoots Down Russian Warplane Near Border With Syria
Russian Su-24 Fencer
ISTANBUL — Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border after it violated Turkish airspace on Tuesday, officials said.
The Russian jet was warned 10 times in five minutes before being shot down, according to the Turkish air force.
Syrian fighters in the ground and Turkish sources told NBC News that the Russian jet's pilots landed in an area north of Latakia, Syria.
Footage from Turkish Haberturk TV showed a warplane going down in flames in a woodland area with a long plume of smoke trailing behind it.
Citing the Kremlin's Defense Ministry, Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency also reported that a Su-24 had been downed in Turkey near the border with Syria, but said it had been shot down by ground fire. The plane was flying above Syrian territory and not Turkey, according to that report.
Russia's Defense Ministry was not immediately available for comment.
Russia is an ally of Syria's President Bashar Assad and has been bombing ISIS and rebel fighters in the country. The Turkish government supports many anti-Assad fighters.
The Russian jet was warned 10 times in five minutes before being shot down, according to the Turkish air force.
Syrian fighters in the ground and Turkish sources told NBC News that the Russian jet's pilots landed in an area north of Latakia, Syria.
Footage from Turkish Haberturk TV showed a warplane going down in flames in a woodland area with a long plume of smoke trailing behind it.
Citing the Kremlin's Defense Ministry, Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency also reported that a Su-24 had been downed in Turkey near the border with Syria, but said it had been shot down by ground fire. The plane was flying above Syrian territory and not Turkey, according to that report.
Russia's Defense Ministry was not immediately available for comment.
Russia is an ally of Syria's President Bashar Assad and has been bombing ISIS and rebel fighters in the country. The Turkish government supports many anti-Assad fighters.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/turkey-shoots-down-russian-warplane-near-border-syria-n468671