Tuesday, November 24, 2015

A Russian plane jet has been shot down by Turkish jets. Turkey says the plane, whose nationality has not been confirmed, violated its airspace



November 24, 2015 (www.independent.co.uk) A Russian aircraft SU-24 jet has been shot down by Turkey as President Francois Hollande prepares to meet President Barack Obama to discuss the international strategy against Isis in the wake of the Paris attacks. Rebels claim they shot both pilots dead as they parachuted to the ground.

The footage appears to show an aircraft bursting into flames as it plummets towards the ground in the Hatay province, near the Syrian border. It is believed to have been an SU-24 jet, operated by both Syrian and Russian forces in the area, but both forces have confirmed the plane was Russian. Turkey’s Dogan news agency claimed the pilot was given as many as 10 warnings as it entered the country’s territory before it was brought down by two Turkish F16 jets at an altitude of 6,000m.A Russian helicopter that was searching for the crew of the shot-down warplane has itself been shot down, hit by rebel fire in Syria. One serviceman was killed, Russia's military said. At another press conference, Nato general secretary Jens Stoltenberg has said "we stand in solidarity with Turkey" following the downing of the Russian plane. Speaking about whether the plane really did enter Turkish airspace, Stoltenberg said the intelligence provided by Nato members was consistent with what Turkey claim. Obama agreed at his press conference, saying: "Turkey, like every country, has the right to defend its territory and its airspace."

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