Istanbul: The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday refused to put allegations on Syria for shooting down a Turkish plane and said that the country has lost a warplane over the Mediterranean but cannot confirm reports that it has been shot down by Syria.
Turkey lost an F-4 Phantom fighter during a mission off the Syrian coast on Friday, but Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he could not confirm reports that Syria had shot it down and had apologised.
In his first public comments, the Turkish Prime Minister took a measured tone, telling reporters he could not say whether the plane had crashed or been shot down.
“I am not saying it was brought down at the point it fell. It is not possible to say this without knowing the exact facts. We will have a meeting shortly where we will evaluate this incident as well as (the possible connection to) terrorism,” Mr Erdogan told a news conference in Ankara.
He said he had no concrete information on a reported Syrian apology and promised to issue a statement after a security meeting later in the evening.
Residents in the Syrian city of Latakia, on the Mediterranean coast, claimed to have witnessed an unidentified plane being shot down at the roughly the same time the fighter vanished from radar scenes.
Nato-member Turkey, which had drawn close to Syria before the now 15-month long uprising against President Assad, turned against the Syrian leader when he responded violently to pro-democracy protests inspired by popular upheavals elsewhere in the Arab world.
Turkey currently hosts about 32,000 Syrian refugees and allows the rebel Syrian Free Army to operate from its territory.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription