Source:
Press TV
Syria
confirms Turkey shot down its fighter jets on combat mission in Idlib
Syria
has confirmed that Turkish forces have intercepted and shot down two
Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jets belonging to the Syrian Air Force, with
the pilots ejecting moments before the aircraft were hit.
According
to Syrian sources, the Syrian planes were on a combat mission against militants
in the embattled northwestern province of Idlib.
Syria’s
official news agency SANA, citing an unnamed military source, reported that
Turkish warplanes targeted the jets at 13:25 p.m. Damascus time (1125 GMT).
Tensions
in the conflict between Ankara and Damascus have soared to a dramatic level
recently.
Earlier
in the day, the Syrian army announced the closure of airspace over Idlib,
saying it will down any aircraft that breaches its airspace.
Syria
closes NW airspace, shoots down Turkish Drone 2020 Mar. 01
Separately,
SANA said Syrian government forces had brought down three Turkish drones as
they were flying in the skies over the strategic town of Saraqib.
Syria
downs Turkish drone (Video) - 2020 Mar. 01
This
came one day after the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said tens of Syrian soldiers had been killed in Turkish drone strikes in Idlib within 24
hours.
On
Friday, a total of 48 Syrian soldiers were killed by similar attacks in Idlib.
The
escalation in the Turkish attacks on Syrian forces comes against the backdrop
of airstrikes that killed 34 Turkish soldiers on Thursday. Ankara blames the
attacks on Syrian government forces.
The
Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on
Friday that Turkey is supporting terrorist groups in Idlib.
The
ministry dismissed allegations by Turkish and Western media outlets regarding
losses upon Syrian government forces in Saraqeb, noting that such claims are
meant to uplift the morale of terror groups operating in the area and clearly
show that Turkish forces are fighting alongside terrorist groups and that
Ankara has no respect for its commitments under the Sochi agreement.
Under
the deal, all militants in the demilitarized zone that surrounds Idlib, and
also parts of the provinces of Aleppo and Hama, were supposed to pull out heavy
arms by October 17, 2018, with the Takfiri groups having to withdraw two days
earlier.
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