10 Oct 2012
Turkish
military jets forced a Syrian passenger plane en route from Moscow to
Damascus to land in Ankara’s Esenboğa international airport following a
tip-off that it was carrying military communication equipment to Syrian
army.
The search on the plane’s cargo revealed no arms or munitions, but
some parcels carried by the plane held communications devices used for
military purposes, Turkish media reported.
Turkish jets have accompanied a Syrian civilian plane to Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Turkish Foreign Ministry announced. The A-320 plane, traveling from Moscow to Damascus when it was intercepted by Turkish authorities at around 6:30 p.m., was carrying 37 people including the staff.
“We are determined to control weapons transfers to a regime that carries out such brutal massacres against civilians. It is unacceptable that such a transfer is made using our airspace,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.
“Today we received information that this plane was carrying cargo of a nature that could not possibly be in compliance with the rules of civil aviation,” he said on Turkish television.
The Turkish media further reported that there were 12 parcels which contained military communication equipment.
Davutoglu said Turkey was within its rights to investigate planes suspected to be carrying military materials and that the plane would be allowed to continue if it was found to be clean. He declined to comment on what the banned materials might be.
A Syrian passenger plane which was forced to land sits at Esenboga airport in Ankara, October 10, 2012 Photo by Reuters
Turkish jets have accompanied a Syrian civilian plane to Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Turkish Foreign Ministry announced. The A-320 plane, traveling from Moscow to Damascus when it was intercepted by Turkish authorities at around 6:30 p.m., was carrying 37 people including the staff.
“We are determined to control weapons transfers to a regime that carries out such brutal massacres against civilians. It is unacceptable that such a transfer is made using our airspace,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.
“Today we received information that this plane was carrying cargo of a nature that could not possibly be in compliance with the rules of civil aviation,” he said on Turkish television.
The Turkish media further reported that there were 12 parcels which contained military communication equipment.
Davutoglu said Turkey was within its rights to investigate planes suspected to be carrying military materials and that the plane would be allowed to continue if it was found to be clean. He declined to comment on what the banned materials might be.
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