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发帖数: 4825 | 1 https://www.rt.com/news/482053-syrian-jets-downed-turkey/
1 Mar, 2020 13:41 / Updated 3 hours ago
Turkey has shot down two Syrian warplanes in Idlib as part of its offensive
in the area. The Syrian Army destroyed several Turkish drones on the same
day Turkey’s UAVs penetrated Syria’s airspace well beyond Idlib.
Turkish fighter jets intercepted two Syrian warplanes over Syria’s
northwestern province of Idlib and shot them down, the state-run SANA news
outlet reported, adding that both planes’ crews ejected and parachuted to
safety.
The Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed it shot down two Syrian Su-24 bombers
after one of its combat drones was destroyed by Syrian air defenses. SANA
reported that several Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) violated
Syrian airspace and were spotted not just in Idlib but near the city of Hama
as well. There, air defense systems were engaged to deal with the hostile
invasion.
According to SANA, the Syrian military shot down a total of three Turkish
drones on Sunday. Meanwhile, some reports suggested that as many as six UAVs
were destroyed. SANA posted a video of one Turkish UAV being brought down
near the town of Saraqib, east of Idlib.
Damascus closed the airspace over the northwestern part of the country,
including Idlib province, saying that any aircraft entering Syrian skies
will be considered a hostile target. The Russian Reconciliation Center for
Syria warned that its military forces deployed in the country can no longer
guarantee the safety of any Turkish aircraft entering Syrian airspace under
these circumstances.
Ankara launched Operation Spring Shield in Idlib on Sunday, describing its
task as “self-defense” against the attacks by Syrian government troops on
Turkish soldiers maintaining outposts in the area.
Tensions in Idlib flared-up again this week after 34 Turkish soldiers were
killed in a Syrian airstrike. Russia said it happened because the Turkish
personnel were present alongside terrorist units being bombed by Damascus,
and Ankara had failed to properly notify Moscow about its troop movements.
Idlib is the last-remaining stronghold of anti-government forces in Syria,
with many belonging to jihadist groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an
offshoot of Al-Qaeda. Ankara has long promised to separate the moderate
groups it backs from the more radical elements, but Russia insists it has
failed to do so. | N**********d
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