Turkish warplanes shoot down Syrian helicopter at border

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Turkish warplanes shoot down Syrian helicopter at border

(Xinhua) 08:20, September 17, 2013

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ANKARA, Sept. 16 -- Turkish warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter on Monday at the border region between the two countries after the helicopter allegedly violated Turkish airspace, said Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc.

"Today an MI-17 helicopter belonging to Syria violated the Turkish border in the Guvecci area of Yayladagi in Hatay province by two km," Arinc told reporters in Ankara.

After repeated warnings, the Turkish military aircrafts shot down the MI-17 helicopter with a missile, he added.

According to a statement released by the Turkish army, the Syrian military helicopter violated Turkish airspace when two Turkish fighter jets were patrolling the area.

After repeated warnings to the helicopter, one of the F-16 jets shot down the helicopter over the Turkish territory but it crushed nearly one kilometer deep into the Syrian side.

Earlier reports said Syrian opposition fighters shot down the helicopter and killed two pilots.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the move a "punishing operation," and stressed that Turkey would not accept any violation of its borders.

"Nobody will dare to violate Turkey's borders again. Turkey will provide the United Nations Security Council and the NATO with details of the circumstances of the incident," he said.

Turkish media reported earlier Monday that Turkey sent three fighter jets over the Syrian border to scout the situation.

The Syrian government has not commented on the helicopter crash yet.

The Turkish army recently beefed up a military presence near the Syrian border, as the United States and its allies mull an imminent military action against the Arab country over an alleged chemical attack in Damascus.

Sharing 910 km long border with Syria, Turkey hosts about 200, 000 Syrian refugees in camps and has been a staunch supporter of Syrian opposition fighters.