Turkey shot down Russian bomber over Syria
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Erdogan Accuses US of Delivering Plane Loads of Arms to Kurds in Syria's Kobani
Read more: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160923/1045618797/us-kurds-weapons-daesh.html
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160923/1045618797/us-kurds-weapons-daesh.html
Read more: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160923/1045618797/us-kurds-weapons-daesh.html
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160923/1045618797/us-kurds-weapons-daesh.html
angelburst29
The Living Force
According to the Turkish foreign minister, the country's forces will move further in the Syrian territory to create a "de facto safe zone."
Turkish Army to Go Further in Syria Establishing 'De Facto Safe Zone' - FM
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160925/1045685421/fm-turkey-army-syria.html
Turkish army will move further south in the Syrian territory to create a "de facto safe zone" of 5,000 square kilometers in the Manbij region, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
"First we should go down at least 45 kilometers [30 miles] to close the Manbij pocket. And this area can be a de facto safe zone. It is around 5,000 square kilometers," Cavusoglu told France 24 broadcaster in an interview.
Turkey Trying to 'Break up Alliance Between US and Syrian Kurds'
https://sputniknews.com/politics/20160926/1045699249/turkey-us-syria-kurds.html
Turkey is "trying basically to separate the US from the Kurds," he said. This is why President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "hinting at the Turkish participation with the US in an attack in Raqqa," he added.
Washington was initially hoping that the YPG and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces would form the bulk of the ground troops, who will be tasked with clearing Raqqa, Daesh's de facto capital. However, Turkish officials have recently said that they are against the Kurds taking part in the offensive.
"Supposedly the goal [of the operation in Raqqa] will be to remove [Daesh], but of course part of the goal will be to prevent the Syrian government from defeating [Daesh] and taking control of Raqqa. So there is a lot of maneuvering going on right now, with Turkish forces and US special forces actually being on Syrian territory," Sterling noted.
Russia, Turkey Reach a 'Gentleman’s Agreement' on Syrian Airspace
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160925/1045680368/russia-turkey-syria-airspace.html
While working on a draft protocol, both sides reached a "gentleman’s agreement," the source said. According to the agreement, one side must not enter the area where the other side is conducting combat operations.
The decision to coordinate combat flights over Syria was made on September 15 at a meeting in Ankara between Russian Military Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar.
This was the first visit by a Russian high-profile military commander to Turkey after a Turkish jet shot down a Russian bomber over Syria in November 2015. After the incident, contacts between the Russian and Turkish militaries were suspended.
During the meeting, Moscow and Ankara agreed to establish a direct hot line as well as communication channels between the Russian and Turkish air forces to prevent incidents.
According to the source, the Turkish military has provided Russia with the coordinates of the areas where it is operating. In return, Russian warplanes will not enter those areas.
The source also noted that Russia is acting very carefully to avoid violations of Turkish airspace and regularly provides information about its flights in nearby areas.
The need to reach a protocol coordinating combat flights became urgent after the Turkish military launched the Euphrates Shield military operation in Syria on August 24. Then, Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that the Russian Defense Ministry had requested information on Turkey’s military campaign in Syria in order to prevent aerial incidents.
Berlin, Ankara News Media Standoff Threatens EU-Turkey Migrant Deal
https://sputniknews.com/europe/20160926/1045715540/berlin-ankara-germany-turkey.html
The latest row concerns an interview carried out by DW TV host Michel Friedman with Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic, which included comments about the fallout from July's coup attempt, as well as press freedom and the status of women.
According to DW: "Following the recording a Turkish government spokesperson instructed DW not to air the interview; when Friedman protested, the video was confiscated by ministry staff."
DW has now formally launched legal proceedings against the Turkish government to have the material returned. It is the latest in a series of media rows between the two countries and centers on the importance of media freedom — an issue that is threatening the EU-Turkey migrant deal.
Almost 30 UN Humanitarian Aid Trucks Cross Turkish Border Toward Syria's Idlib
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160926/1045721258/humanitarian-aid-idlib.html
Twenty six UN trucks carrying humanitarian aid have proceeded to the Syrian city of Idlib through the Cilvegozu checkpoint in Turkey’s Hatay Province, Turkish press agency Anadolu reported.
During the course of the day another 10 trucks are expected to pass the Cilvegozu checkpoint into Syria, the media said, adding that another 20 trucks remain on the Turkey-Syria border area.
On September 13, after the start of the ceasefire, 40 United Nations' trucks carrying humanitarian aid crossed the Cilvegozu checkpoint but were unable to proceed into Syria. Earlier reports suggested that trucks with humanitarian aid were waiting at the border due to security concerns, with large amounts of food due to expire. A UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy carrying humanitarian aid for Syria's Aleppo province was attacked last Monday, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). As a result, 18 of 31 trucks were destroyed and at least 21 individuals were killed.
World Food Program Delivers Humanitarian Aid to 4 Besieged Towns in Syria
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160926/1045721603/syria-humanitarian-aid.html
"The World Food Program (WFP) yesterday delivered lifesaving food assistance to besieged families in the towns of Madaya and Al-Zabadani in rural Damascus and Fouaa and Kafriya in rural Idlib as part of the joint interagency convoy with UN agencies and Syrian Arab Red Crescent," Haq told reporters.
The 45 trucks carrying food rations and wheat flower the WFP sent are sufficient to feed 60 000 people for one month. The WFP also delivered to Madaya and Al-Zabadani specialized nutritious products for the prevention of malnutrition for 250 children, Haq added.
Turkish Army to Go Further in Syria Establishing 'De Facto Safe Zone' - FM
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160925/1045685421/fm-turkey-army-syria.html
Turkish army will move further south in the Syrian territory to create a "de facto safe zone" of 5,000 square kilometers in the Manbij region, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
"First we should go down at least 45 kilometers [30 miles] to close the Manbij pocket. And this area can be a de facto safe zone. It is around 5,000 square kilometers," Cavusoglu told France 24 broadcaster in an interview.
Turkey Trying to 'Break up Alliance Between US and Syrian Kurds'
https://sputniknews.com/politics/20160926/1045699249/turkey-us-syria-kurds.html
Turkey is "trying basically to separate the US from the Kurds," he said. This is why President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "hinting at the Turkish participation with the US in an attack in Raqqa," he added.
Washington was initially hoping that the YPG and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces would form the bulk of the ground troops, who will be tasked with clearing Raqqa, Daesh's de facto capital. However, Turkish officials have recently said that they are against the Kurds taking part in the offensive.
"Supposedly the goal [of the operation in Raqqa] will be to remove [Daesh], but of course part of the goal will be to prevent the Syrian government from defeating [Daesh] and taking control of Raqqa. So there is a lot of maneuvering going on right now, with Turkish forces and US special forces actually being on Syrian territory," Sterling noted.
Russia, Turkey Reach a 'Gentleman’s Agreement' on Syrian Airspace
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160925/1045680368/russia-turkey-syria-airspace.html
While working on a draft protocol, both sides reached a "gentleman’s agreement," the source said. According to the agreement, one side must not enter the area where the other side is conducting combat operations.
The decision to coordinate combat flights over Syria was made on September 15 at a meeting in Ankara between Russian Military Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar.
This was the first visit by a Russian high-profile military commander to Turkey after a Turkish jet shot down a Russian bomber over Syria in November 2015. After the incident, contacts between the Russian and Turkish militaries were suspended.
During the meeting, Moscow and Ankara agreed to establish a direct hot line as well as communication channels between the Russian and Turkish air forces to prevent incidents.
According to the source, the Turkish military has provided Russia with the coordinates of the areas where it is operating. In return, Russian warplanes will not enter those areas.
The source also noted that Russia is acting very carefully to avoid violations of Turkish airspace and regularly provides information about its flights in nearby areas.
The need to reach a protocol coordinating combat flights became urgent after the Turkish military launched the Euphrates Shield military operation in Syria on August 24. Then, Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that the Russian Defense Ministry had requested information on Turkey’s military campaign in Syria in order to prevent aerial incidents.
Berlin, Ankara News Media Standoff Threatens EU-Turkey Migrant Deal
https://sputniknews.com/europe/20160926/1045715540/berlin-ankara-germany-turkey.html
The latest row concerns an interview carried out by DW TV host Michel Friedman with Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic, which included comments about the fallout from July's coup attempt, as well as press freedom and the status of women.
According to DW: "Following the recording a Turkish government spokesperson instructed DW not to air the interview; when Friedman protested, the video was confiscated by ministry staff."
DW has now formally launched legal proceedings against the Turkish government to have the material returned. It is the latest in a series of media rows between the two countries and centers on the importance of media freedom — an issue that is threatening the EU-Turkey migrant deal.
Almost 30 UN Humanitarian Aid Trucks Cross Turkish Border Toward Syria's Idlib
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160926/1045721258/humanitarian-aid-idlib.html
Twenty six UN trucks carrying humanitarian aid have proceeded to the Syrian city of Idlib through the Cilvegozu checkpoint in Turkey’s Hatay Province, Turkish press agency Anadolu reported.
During the course of the day another 10 trucks are expected to pass the Cilvegozu checkpoint into Syria, the media said, adding that another 20 trucks remain on the Turkey-Syria border area.
On September 13, after the start of the ceasefire, 40 United Nations' trucks carrying humanitarian aid crossed the Cilvegozu checkpoint but were unable to proceed into Syria. Earlier reports suggested that trucks with humanitarian aid were waiting at the border due to security concerns, with large amounts of food due to expire. A UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy carrying humanitarian aid for Syria's Aleppo province was attacked last Monday, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). As a result, 18 of 31 trucks were destroyed and at least 21 individuals were killed.
World Food Program Delivers Humanitarian Aid to 4 Besieged Towns in Syria
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160926/1045721603/syria-humanitarian-aid.html
"The World Food Program (WFP) yesterday delivered lifesaving food assistance to besieged families in the towns of Madaya and Al-Zabadani in rural Damascus and Fouaa and Kafriya in rural Idlib as part of the joint interagency convoy with UN agencies and Syrian Arab Red Crescent," Haq told reporters.
The 45 trucks carrying food rations and wheat flower the WFP sent are sufficient to feed 60 000 people for one month. The WFP also delivered to Madaya and Al-Zabadani specialized nutritious products for the prevention of malnutrition for 250 children, Haq added.
angelburst29
The Living Force
Laura said:
Yes, you are correct, my mistake and carelessness.
Thank You for the correction.
angelburst29
The Living Force
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says he is ready to personally apologize to widow of the Russian pilot of the downed by Turkish forces Russian Su-24 jet.
Turkish FM Cavusoglu Ready to Personally Apologize to Downed Su-24 Pilot's Widow
https://sputniknews.com/world/201611021046991729-cavusoglu-su24-pilot-widow-apology/
"We would like to provide financial support to the family of the deceased pilot. I conveyed to [Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov that I was ready to pay a visit to the widow of the deceased Russian pilot, if she agrees to that, to offer my apologies and condolences," Cavusoglu told Rossiya-24 TV channel.
Earlier, the family of Russian military pilot Oleg Peshkov, who was killed after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 aircraft in November 2015, will not accept any compensation from the Turkish government, a brother of the deceased pilot, Pavel Peshkov, said.
A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015. The aircraft was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The incident caused a deterioration of relations between Ankara and Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it "a stab in the back." Russia has repeatedly said that Turkey should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family, as well as punish those responsible for the incident.
On June 27, the Kremlin's press office published a statement, in which it announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to apologize for the November 2015 incident.
US & Saudi Arabia 'Involved in Turkey's Downing of Russian Su-24' in Syria
(Sputnik Video 0:42 min.)
https://sputniknews.com/world/201607291043762151-su24-downing-nato-saudi-involvement/
Back dated July 29, 2016 - NATO was involved in last year's downing of Russia's Su-24 bomber in Syrian airspace, Willy Wimmer, former Vice-President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), told Sputnik Deutschland on Friday.
On November 24 2015 Turkish jets downed a Russian Su-24 bomber carrying out anti-terror operations in Syria. The plane's two co-pilots parachuted from the plane but one of them, Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov, was shot and killed by suspected Turkmen militants operating in Syria. The incident caused a major diplomatic dispute between Turkey and Russia; the former said the bomber was shot for infringing Turkish airspace, but Russia maintains the Su-24 did not enter Turkish airspace, and was carrying out an anti-Daesh mission in Syria when it was downed. The downing had been interpreted as a unilateral decision by Turkey, but Willy Wimmer contends that in fact, NATO and Saudi forces were involved in the incident.
According to my information, Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft from the US and Saudi Arabia were involved," Wimmer said.
"Aircraft like that Russian Su-24 bomber are not that easy to just shoot out of the sky. You need to take aim, and you can only do that with AWACS aircraft."
The two AWACS planes involved in the incident took off from a NATO base on Cyprus, and an airbase in Saudi Arabia respectively, Wimmer said. He explained that according to NATO guidelines, if a plane is believed to be violating another country's airspace then contact should made with the appropriate flight control center to draw the pilot's attention to the error.
In peacetime, the most a military aircraft is allowed to do is to force a stray aircraft to make an emergency landing. "What happened there does not comply with international regulations in any way. They brought the Russian plane down because they wanted to," Wimmer said.
Wimmer believes that the motivation for enabling the otherwise inexplicable attack, was a desire on the part of Turkey's allies to spoil diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia.
"Last year the construction of the South Stream pipeline (from Russia) through the EU was stopped because of American pressure. A few weeks later, Russia and Turkey successfully created a replacement, the Turkish Stream. Of course, that was diametrically opposed to the Americans' sanctions politics against Russia. The reaction of the Americans can be interpreted accordingly," Wimmer believes.
Last month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote a letter of apology to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the downing of the Su-24. The Turkish President said that Turkey "never had a desire or a deliberate intention to down an aircraft belonging to Russia," and expressed his deep sympathy and condolences to the relatives of the deceased Russian pilot.
Turkish FM Cavusoglu Ready to Personally Apologize to Downed Su-24 Pilot's Widow
https://sputniknews.com/world/201611021046991729-cavusoglu-su24-pilot-widow-apology/
"We would like to provide financial support to the family of the deceased pilot. I conveyed to [Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov that I was ready to pay a visit to the widow of the deceased Russian pilot, if she agrees to that, to offer my apologies and condolences," Cavusoglu told Rossiya-24 TV channel.
Earlier, the family of Russian military pilot Oleg Peshkov, who was killed after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 aircraft in November 2015, will not accept any compensation from the Turkish government, a brother of the deceased pilot, Pavel Peshkov, said.
A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015. The aircraft was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The incident caused a deterioration of relations between Ankara and Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it "a stab in the back." Russia has repeatedly said that Turkey should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family, as well as punish those responsible for the incident.
On June 27, the Kremlin's press office published a statement, in which it announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to apologize for the November 2015 incident.
US & Saudi Arabia 'Involved in Turkey's Downing of Russian Su-24' in Syria
(Sputnik Video 0:42 min.)
https://sputniknews.com/world/201607291043762151-su24-downing-nato-saudi-involvement/
Back dated July 29, 2016 - NATO was involved in last year's downing of Russia's Su-24 bomber in Syrian airspace, Willy Wimmer, former Vice-President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), told Sputnik Deutschland on Friday.
On November 24 2015 Turkish jets downed a Russian Su-24 bomber carrying out anti-terror operations in Syria. The plane's two co-pilots parachuted from the plane but one of them, Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov, was shot and killed by suspected Turkmen militants operating in Syria. The incident caused a major diplomatic dispute between Turkey and Russia; the former said the bomber was shot for infringing Turkish airspace, but Russia maintains the Su-24 did not enter Turkish airspace, and was carrying out an anti-Daesh mission in Syria when it was downed. The downing had been interpreted as a unilateral decision by Turkey, but Willy Wimmer contends that in fact, NATO and Saudi forces were involved in the incident.
According to my information, Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft from the US and Saudi Arabia were involved," Wimmer said.
"Aircraft like that Russian Su-24 bomber are not that easy to just shoot out of the sky. You need to take aim, and you can only do that with AWACS aircraft."
The two AWACS planes involved in the incident took off from a NATO base on Cyprus, and an airbase in Saudi Arabia respectively, Wimmer said. He explained that according to NATO guidelines, if a plane is believed to be violating another country's airspace then contact should made with the appropriate flight control center to draw the pilot's attention to the error.
In peacetime, the most a military aircraft is allowed to do is to force a stray aircraft to make an emergency landing. "What happened there does not comply with international regulations in any way. They brought the Russian plane down because they wanted to," Wimmer said.
Wimmer believes that the motivation for enabling the otherwise inexplicable attack, was a desire on the part of Turkey's allies to spoil diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia.
"Last year the construction of the South Stream pipeline (from Russia) through the EU was stopped because of American pressure. A few weeks later, Russia and Turkey successfully created a replacement, the Turkish Stream. Of course, that was diametrically opposed to the Americans' sanctions politics against Russia. The reaction of the Americans can be interpreted accordingly," Wimmer believes.
Last month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote a letter of apology to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the downing of the Su-24. The Turkish President said that Turkey "never had a desire or a deliberate intention to down an aircraft belonging to Russia," and expressed his deep sympathy and condolences to the relatives of the deceased Russian pilot.
angelburst29
The Living Force
The widow of the Russian Su-24 pilot, downed by the Turkish Air Force in Syria in November 2015, said she was ready to meet the Turkish foreign minister who had said he was ready to personally apologize to her.
Widow of Downed Su-24 Pilot Ready to Personally Accept Turkish FM's Apologies
https://sputniknews.com/world/201611031047041774-su-24-widow-cavusoglu/
"Despite the very grievous times for our family, we will arrive in Moscow to attend this meeting," Elena Peshkova said Thursday.
On November 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he was ready to personally apologize to Oleg Peshkov's widow.A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015.
The aircraft was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The incident caused a deterioration of relations between Ankara and Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it "a stab in the back."
Russia has repeatedly said that Turkey should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family, as well as punish those responsible for the incident. On June 27, the Kremlin's press office published a statement, in which it announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to apologize for the November 2015 incident.
Widow of Downed Su-24 Pilot Ready to Personally Accept Turkish FM's Apologies
https://sputniknews.com/world/201611031047041774-su-24-widow-cavusoglu/
"Despite the very grievous times for our family, we will arrive in Moscow to attend this meeting," Elena Peshkova said Thursday.
On November 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he was ready to personally apologize to Oleg Peshkov's widow.A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015.
The aircraft was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The incident caused a deterioration of relations between Ankara and Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling it "a stab in the back."
Russia has repeatedly said that Turkey should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family, as well as punish those responsible for the incident. On June 27, the Kremlin's press office published a statement, in which it announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to apologize for the November 2015 incident.
angelburst29
The Living Force
Alparslan Celik, the man who took responsibility for murdering one of the pilots of Russia's Su-24 jet downed by Turkey in Syria in 2015, has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing weapons.
Man Responsible for Killing Russian Su-24 Pilot in 2015 Sentenced to Five Years
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201705221053850021-celik-sentenced-five-years-su-24-turkey-russia/
"Today, a court in the [Turkish] city of Izmir concluded the trial about illegal possession of weapons by defendant Alparslan Celik and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment. The court did not raise the issue of his implication in the death of Russian pilot [Oleg] Peshkov, the investigation continues," Celik's lawyer Murat Ustundag told Sputnik.
A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015. Both pilots ejected. One of them was saved, but Oleg Peskov was killed by militants' fire from the ground. In the course of the rescue operation, a Russian marine was also killed.
Turkish ultranationalist Celik announced his responsibility for the murder. But after being arrested, he said he had not killed the pilot and ordered his subordinate militants not to open fire. Celik and 18 other individuals were accused of illegal possession of weapons.
Man Responsible for Killing Russian Su-24 Pilot in 2015 Sentenced to Five Years
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201705221053850021-celik-sentenced-five-years-su-24-turkey-russia/
"Today, a court in the [Turkish] city of Izmir concluded the trial about illegal possession of weapons by defendant Alparslan Celik and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment. The court did not raise the issue of his implication in the death of Russian pilot [Oleg] Peshkov, the investigation continues," Celik's lawyer Murat Ustundag told Sputnik.
A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015. Both pilots ejected. One of them was saved, but Oleg Peskov was killed by militants' fire from the ground. In the course of the rescue operation, a Russian marine was also killed.
Turkish ultranationalist Celik announced his responsibility for the murder. But after being arrested, he said he had not killed the pilot and ordered his subordinate militants not to open fire. Celik and 18 other individuals were accused of illegal possession of weapons.
PressTV on the murder of Serena Shim by Turkish intelligence. Commentary interview with Kevork Almassian.