Turkish military aircraft shot down an unidentified drone in Turkey’s airspace near the Syrian border on Friday.
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A Syrian military officer said on pro-Syrian al-Mayadeen TV that no Syrian or Russian warplanes or drones were shot down over Turkey.
The offensive came as Turkey said it had downed a drone of unknown origin that violated its air space close to the Syrian border, and a monitor said the toll in the conflict had risen to more than 250,000 people.
Turkish jets have already been scrambled twice to intercept incursions by Russian aircraft into Turkish airspace since Russia’s air campaign in Syria began a little over two weeks ago.
All Russian aircraft returned from their combat missions in Syria, and Russian drones continue their aerial reconnaissance and “are functioning as planned”, the Russian defense ministry said via Facebook.
Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said all Russian drones “are functioning according to plan”.
The drone went down near the village of Deliosman, in Kilis province, Turkish media reported.
The country adopted strict rules of engagement in 2012, after one of its F4 jet fighters was downed by Syria.
Russian Federation launched a bombing campaign in Syria late last month in support of forces loyal to its longstanding ally President Bashar al-Assad.
When asked whether Syria should be still ruled by al-Assad, Medvedev said: “No, absolutely not”.
Turkey has previously downed a Syrian jet, a helicopter and a drone for violating its airspace.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of an influential parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, reiterated his country’s full support for the Syrian government, stressing that a political solution is the only way for Syria to emerge from the current crisis.
Asked about the possibility that insurgents fighting in Syria might have obtained shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles (or MANPADS) – which could threaten Russian aviation – Kartapolov said there were rumors of that they might have the weapons, but that Russia had not yet seen them in action.
“I state with absolute responsibility that all our drones are either performing tasks or staying at the base”, said Col.-Gen.
On Thursday, a United States official speaking on condition of anonymity said the USA military is poised to boost its supply runs to rebels fighting ISIS in northern Syria, provided the rebels on the ground can prove they are fighting the militants.
He said between 5,000 and 7,000 people from Russian Federation and other ex-Soviet nations are fighting alongside Islamic State militants.
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The United States, which is leading separate airstrikes against the Islamic State, has raised concerns about possible confrontations between Russian Federation and Turkey in the skies over Syria. “We are trying to identify its nationality”.
