Aircraft
Turkey Shoots Down Syrian MiG
Under new rules of engagement, Turkey treats any Syrian aircraft approaching the border as a military threat.
The MiG-23 was shot down by an F-16C of 181 Filo from Diyarbakir. The base is in southeast Turkey, close to the Syrian border (Photo: Turkish air force)
The MiG-23 was shot down by an F-16C of 181 Filo from Diyarbakir. The base is in southeast Turkey, close to the Syrian border (Photo: Turkish air force)

A war of words has flared between Ankara and Damascus this week after a Turkish air force Lockheed Martin F-16 shot down a Syrian air force Mikoyan MiG-23BN ground attacker on Sunday. While Syria described the shootdown as a “flagrant act of aggression,” Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Syria, “Our response will be heavy if you violate our airspace.” Syria has also accused Ankara of shooting down the aircraft to deflect attention from Turkish domestic political issues, just a week before local elections.

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