Mes: septiembre 2019

(AP) ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey warned Tuesday that any Syrian military unit approaching its border will be treated as a direct threat, a serious escalation in tensions days after Syria shot a Turkish military plane out of the sky. Turkey’s NATO allies expressed solidarity with Ankara and condemned the Syrian attack but made no mention of any retaliatory action against Syria. “The rules of engagement of the Turkish Armed Forces have changed,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised speech. “Any military element that approaches the Turkish border from Syria and poses a security risk and danger will be regarded as a threat and treated as a military target.” “No one should be deceived by our cool-headed stance,” Erdogan added. “Our acting with common sense should not be perceived as a weakness.” Special Section: The Arab SpringCondoleezza Rice calls on U.S. to arm Syria rebelsActivists: Fierce clashes on Assad’s doorstep Syria insists the Turkish military plane violated its air space on Friday. Turkey says although the RF-4E reconnaissance jet had unintentionally strayed into Syria’s air space, it was inside international airspace when it was brought down over the Mediterranean by Syria. Its two pilots are still missing. The head of the NATO military alliance called the downing of the jet unacceptable Tuesday after Turkey briefed NATO’s North Atlantic Council on the incident. The talks were held under...

Updated 7:28 PM ET (CBS/AP) ANKARA, Turkey – Syria said Friday it shot down a Turkish military plane that entered Syrian air space, and Turkey vowed to “determinedly take necessary steps” in response. It was the most clear and dramatic escalation in tensions between the two countries, which used to be allies before the Syrian revolt began in March 2011. Turkey has become one of the strongest critics of the Syrian regime’s brutal response to the country’s uprising. Earlier, CBS News correspondent David Martin reported U.S. officials confirmed that Syrian air defenses shot down a Turkish jet off the coast of Syria. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear. The jet — a Vietnam-era F-4 — was supposed to be on a routine training mission over the eastern Mediterranean. Late Friday, Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, said the military spotted an “unidentified aerial target” that was flying at a low altitude and at a high speed. “The Syrian anti-air defenses counteracted with anti-aircraft artillery, hitting it directly,” SANA said. “The target turned out to be a Turkish military plane that entered Syrian airspace and was dealt with according to laws observed in such cases.” Turkey issued a statement Friday night following a two-hour security meeting led by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Syrian forces downed the plane and that the two Turkish pilots remain missing. It said...