Death Toll Mounts as Turkey Scrambles Jet After Syrian Helicopter Nears Border
Death Toll Mounts as Turkey Scrambles Jet After Syrian Helicopter Nears Border
Death toll mounted across Syria as Turkey scrambled a fighter jet on Friday after a Syrian helicopter shelled the Syrian town of Azmarin near their common border, an official told AFP.
“The fighter jet took off from Diyarbakir base in the southeast after (Syrian) regime forces sent a helicopter to shell Azmarin which was seized by rebel forces,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Relations between one-time allies Turkey and Syria have steadily deteriorated since a popular uprising started against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in March 2011.
On Wednesday, Turkey scrambled jets to force a Syrian plane on its way from Moscow to Damascus to land inside Turkey, according to AFP.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the plane’s cargo included military equipment and ammunition for the Syrian regime, charges denied by Damascus.
Tensions between the neighbors reached a new high last week when mortars fired from Syria killed five Turkish nationals in a Turkish border village and Ankara began firing artillery into Syria in retaliation.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu survived an opposition censure motion in parliament on Friday for allegedly bringing Turkey to the brink of war with Syria.
The ruling Justice and Development Party used its almost 60 percent majority in the 550-seat parliament to defeat the motion by the Republican Peoples Party.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which called the attack on Akcakale a flagrant breach of international law, praised Turkey’s restraint on Oct. 9 and assured the Turkish government of the alliance’s military support if its attacked.