Russian SU-24 Fighter Shot Down By Turkey [Update]

21 Comments

1. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 5:00 am

    « click to enlarge
   Detailed Map of Ethnicity in Syria (and the Syrian Armenians) (Gulf 2000 Project)

2. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 8:24 am

   In reaction to a number of articles on a psychotic America and Trumpism …

   A timely review of what propaganda does to America … and it’s only getting worse under the regime of the Obama administration. The US losing its moral compass in a turbulent world. Battling whistleblowers by prosecution for treason, a most secretive administration, revising and enactment of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012 and undermining protest by the cognitive infiltration theory perpetuated by Cass Sunstein.  

   Intro of my newest diary – The Terror Trap Laid By Warmongers In the US and Israel.

3. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 8:49 am

   The Turkmens of Bayırbucak | Hürriyet Daily News |

   The current Turkish-Syrian border was drawn with the Oct. 20, 1921, agreement signed between France, the mandatary of Syria, and the Ankara government; regions such as Hatay as well as Bayır and Bucak were on the Syrian side. This was approved in Lausanne.

   Mersin deputy Niyazi (Ramazanoğlu) Bey delivered a very important speech in the parliament on the day of Aug. 21, 1923. He stated that while the 1921 agreement was signed, Ankara was still in a very troubled situation and criticized the acceptance of the border agreed upon in 1921.

   In his speech, Niyazi Bey explained the Turks who were left on the Syrian side as such:

   “There were three villages left to us from Hassa. Others were Teyek, Ekbez, Beylan, the boroughs of İskenderun, the township of Reyhaniye, the Antakya district, the Ordu district, the Bayır, Bucak and Hazine townships, a major portion of the Kilis borough, the Elbeyli and Turkmen districts south of Çobanbey-Cerablus region of Antep… This is all Turkish soil that constitutes integrity with the motherland…”

   They were all on the Syrian side.  

   ○ The Lausanne Conference: The Evolution of Turkish and British Siplomatic Strategies 1922-1923 [pdf]
4. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 10:30 am

   Hours before Turkey downs jet, reports that Russia was striking Turkmen in Bayirbucak in Syria

   Russia, Assad strike at Turkmens, giving DAESH a free hand in Syria

   At the Prime Ministry, Hakan Fidan [MIT intelligence chied] also briefed the Davutoğlu on the issue. Ankara had requested that Russia promptly end this operation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgiç said, adding: “Our warnings and request have also been communicated to the Russian deputy foreign minister and special presidential representative for the Middle East, Mihail Bogdanov.”

   “If any attack is mounted against civilians on Turkey’s border, even with cluster munitions shelling, so as to draw the people living there toward Turkey and lead to a further refugee flow, all involved will be held responsible,” Davutoğlu told the media in Istanbul last Friday.

   Mount Turkmen has not fallen to Assad: Turkmen commander

   Omar Abdullah, commander of the Sultan Abdulhamit Han Brigade in Syria, said on Monday that the Turkmen brigades have recaptured a strategic point on Mount Turkmen from Assad forces backed by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah.

   “Mount Turkmen has not fallen to Assad forces. They only seized a part of Kızıldağı,” Abdullah said.
   In recent days, Syrian regime forces started a heavy assault on Mount Turkmen in Bayır Bucak, a Turkmen populated area in Latakia province.

   Turkmens were under intensified Russian airstrikes while Iranian forces and Hezbollah from Lebanon launched a joint land attack with Assad forces. Russian warships fired missiles as tanks and cannons attacked unarmed civilians in Mount Turkmen area.

5. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 10:46 am

   Live RT – statement by Putin: “We were stabbed in the back by terrorists’ supporters. Serious consequences for tragic events on Syrian border.”

   Further, quite irritated with Turkey, Putin said they talked to their NATO allies first before contacting Russian foreign diplomats to discuss the event.

   Putin: Downing of Russian jet over Syria stab in the back by terrorist accomplices | RT |

   Turkey backstabbed Russia by downing the Russian warplane and acted as accomplices of the terrorists, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

   “This incident stands out against the usual fight against terrorism. Our troops are fighting heroically against terrorists, risking their lives. But the loss we suffered today came from a stab in the back delivered by accomplices of the terrorists,” Putin said.

   Putin said the plane was hit by a Turkish warplane as it was traveling at an altitude of 6000 meters about a kilometer from the Turkish border. It was hit by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet. The crash site is four kilometers from the border. The plane posed no threat to Turkish national security, he stressed.

   Putin said the plane was targeting terrorist targets in the Latakia province of Syria, many of whom came from Russia.

   The incident will have grave consequences for Russia’s relations with Turkey, Putin warned.

   “We have always treated Turkey as not only a close neighbor, but also as a friendly nation,” he said. “I don’t know who has an interest in what happened today, but we certainly don’t.”

   The fact that Turkey did not try to contact Russia in the wake of the incident and rushed to call a NATO meeting instead is worrisome, Putin said. It appears that Turkey want NATO to serve the interests of IS, he added.

   • Putin calls Turkey ‘accomplices of terrorists’ after Russian jet shot down | The Guardian |
   • Lavrov cancels planned visit to Turkey

     No great surprise this, but Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has cancelled a planned visit to Turkey.  Lavrov was due to visit Ankara on Wednesday for bilateral talks. Turkish officials had insited it would go ahead as planned.

   • Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called an emergency security meeting involving his top generals, heads of intelligence, Prime Minister Davutoğlu and other senior ministers, CNN Turk and others report.

   ○ NATO holding emergency session after Turkey shoots down Russian warplane

6. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 1:53 pm

   Russians summon Turkish embassy defence attache | BBC News |

   Defence Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Russia was urgently summoned to the Russian Ministry of Defence where he was presented an official protest concerning the actions of the Turkish Air Force containing following statements:

   “Today at 9:30 the Russian aircraft, which performed combat counterterrorist missions was shot down by an aircraft of the Turkish Air Force.

   The Russian aircraft did not cross the Turkish border and acted only against objects on the territory of Syria.

   Combat actions of the Russian aviation were conducted against illegal terrorist formations, which consist of a large number of militants from the Russian North Caucasus.

   Efforts of the Russian Defence Ministry specialists to organize cooperation with the Turkish party by emergency communication link were not successful.

   The Defence Ministry considers actions of the Turkish Air Force as an unfriendly act.

   At present, the Russian Defence Ministry is designing a complex of measures directed to respond such incidents.

   Combat missions against terrorists in Syria will be continued.”

7. 

   Oui on November 24, 2015 at 1:56 pm

   Letter from Turkish Ambassador tio the U.N. Security Council | Al Jazeera |

       Upon instructions from my government, I am writing to you with  regard to an incident
   related to the violation of Turkish airspace.

       I refer to our previous letters dated 16 October 2015, 18 May 2015, 23 March 2014,
   16 September 2013, 12 November 2012 and 24 June 2012 to the Security Council regarding the
   violation of Turkey’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. In those letters, we underlined
   the determination of the Government of the Republic of Turkey to protect its citizens and borders
   and reminded the new rules of military engagement concerning Syria, adopted on June 26, 2012.

       This morning (24 November) 2 SU-24 planes, the nationality of which are unknown
   have approached Turkish national airspace in Yayladagi/Hatay region. The planes in question
   have been warned 10 times during a period of 5 minutes via “Emergency” channel and asked
   to change their headings south immediately.

       Disregarding these warnings, both planes, at an altitude of 19,000 feet, violated Turkish
   national airspace to a depth of 1,36 miles and 1,a5 miles in length for 17 seconds from 9.24′.05″
   local time.

       Following the violation, plane 1 left Turkish national airspace. Plane 2 was fired at
   while in Turkish national airspace by Turkish F-16s performing air combat patrolling in that
   area in accordance with the rules of engagement. Plane 2 crashed onto the Syrian side of the
   Turkish/Syrian border.

   H.E. Mr. Matthew Rycroft
   Ambassador
   President of the Security Council
   United Nations

   Cc: H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon
   Secretary General of the United Nations

   ○ Briefing Ms Nuland on Erdogan’s Statements Regarding Syria – June 26, 2012
   ○ Turkey Creates De-Facto Buffer Zone in Syria – June 28, 2012
   ○ Turkey’s Tangled Syria Policy | CTC West Point |
   • 

     on November 25, 2015 at 4:41 pm

     Of course, since the SU-24 had been over Turkish territory, if at all, for 17 seconds at most, that five minutes and ten warnings is, uh, a lie.

8. 

   The Voice In The Wilderness on November 24, 2015 at 5:05 pm

   The F-16 is a pretty old aircraft, equivalent to a Sopwith Camel during the Blitz and without looking it up, even older. Maybe like the Camel during the Vietnam war.  Is the su-24 that old?

   • 

     esquimaux on November 24, 2015 at 6:32 pm

     your comparison is weak. There are newer and better fighters than the F-16, but the SU-24 isn’t a fighter at all it’s a ground support plane (or so i was told this morning on the internet). The Russian mission in syria, at least until now, hasn’t included fighting anyone with an air force.

     • 

       The Voice In The Wilderness on November 24, 2015 at 7:30 pm

       By “ground support plane” you mean a fighter-bomber?

       As black shoe Navy, I never studied Russian aircraft.

9. 

   Marie3 on November 24, 2015 at 7:22 pm

   Note (from The Guardian)

   Turkmen militiamen in Syria claimed to have shot the pilots as they descended on parachutes from the stricken Su-24 bomber. The Turkmen rebels, who are supported by Ankara and who have been the target of earlier Russian bombing, broadcast a video of what appeared to be a dead Russian pilot.

   International Law (from Wikipedia) – 1949 Geneva Conventions — codified 1977

   Article 42 – Occupants of aircraft

       1. No person parachuting from an aircraft in distress shall be made the object of attack during his descent.

       2. Upon reaching the ground in territory controlled by an adverse Party, a person who has parachuted from an aircraft in distress shall be given an opportunity to surrender before being made the object of attack, unless it is apparent that he is engaging in a hostile act.

       3. Airborne troops are not protected by this Article

   The US and NATO are currently backing Turkey’s claim that Russia breached its airspace and thus presumably, the shoot down was legal.  That assumes that the border Turkey claims is internationally recognized.  

   However, Erdogan backed Syrian Turkmen won’t have much support from anyone if Russia now pounds them.

   • 

     The Voice In The Wilderness on November 24, 2015 at 7:31 pm

     Except by Erdogan and who knows about the CIA? Does the CIA even know who they support?

     • 

       Marie3 on November 24, 2015 at 8:15 pm

       Turkey depends on Russia for more than 40% of its natural gas.  Will the residents of Turkey accept greatly reduced heating and cooking gas supplies because their newly re-elected Erdogan has a hardon for taking out Assad by any means possible including supporting murderous Syrian Turkmen and Daesh?  (Also note that a faction of Syrian Turkmen are aligned with Kurds, another enemy of Erdogan.)

       When has the CIA ever known who they support and/or why such person, faction, entity, or country is in the US interest to support?  In general, they see as many boogiemen as your ordinary paranoid rightwinger.  

       • 

         on November 25, 2015 at 4:38 pm

         Last week Ukraine cut off electricity to Crimea. Today Russia cut off coal shipments to Ukraine. Time to invest in wool scarves.

         • 

           The Voice In The Wilderness on November 25, 2015 at 4:51 pm

           Goodie! Trade wars. It is looking more and more like 1930.

         • 

           Marie3 on November 25, 2015 at 6:02 pm

           Much different world from that of 1930.  The elites know very well how dependent they are on globalization.  

   • 

     Oui on November 25, 2015 at 3:35 am

     At least some good news …

     ○ One of 2 Russian pilots shot down by Turkey picked up by Syrian Army | RT |

10. 

    on November 25, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    I suppose that Erdogan didn’t like those long lines of oil tanker trucks running from ISIS-controlled wells getting bombed. I understand those trucks deliver oil to Erdogan’s son’s oil company at the border.

    And after shooting down the SU-24 today the Russians are bombing the Turkmen and al-Nusra even more heavily. Rockets from offshore ships, more bombing raids. I’m guessing Turkey is standing down today. Oh, and the S-400s are now in place.

11. 

    Oui on November 29, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    Part of the CIA supported jihadists corridor from Turkey to Northern Syria …

    Russia’s and Turkey’s objectives in fighting the Islamic State group are diametrically opposed by Pepe Escobar

    For Russia, there’s no distinction, especially because a gaggle of Chechens, Uzbeks and Uyghurs (Chinese intel is on it) have sought harbor among these “moderates.” For Russia what matters is to smash any possibility of a future 900 km-long Jihad Highway between Aleppo and Grozny.

    And that explains the Russian bombing of northern Latakia province.  Ankara, predictably, went ballistic. The Foreign Ministry had even threatened Russia only a few days ago; the “Russian side’s actions were not a fight against terror, but they bombed civilian Turkmen villages and this could lead to serious consequences.”

    Ankara directly supports Turkmen militias with humanitarian aid but what really counts are weapons; truck deliveries controlled by the MIT – Turkish intelligence.

    This all fits into the ruling AKP party mythology of defending even pre-Ottoman populations; after all they always provided “good services” to Islam. Syrian Turkmen are as pious as the AKP leadership in Ankara.

    The plot thickens    

    For Russia, the area known as Turkmen Mountain, or heights – which Turks call Bayirbucak – north of Latakia province, is a major target.  Because that’s where we find the Weapon Highway – through which Ankara, side by side with the CIA, weaponizes these militias.

    For Russia, any possibility of militias allied with Salafis and Salafi-jihadis trying to make a push to conquer overwhelmingly Alawite Latakia province is a red line because this would threaten Russia’s airbase at Khmeimim and eventually even the port of Tartus.

    So essentially we have CIA weaponizing – those famous TOW anti-tank missiles – using a smuggling route through Turkmen territory which happens to be an al-Qaeda in Syria-run Ankara power base. This is prime territory for U.S., Turkey and Saudi Arabia to undermine Damascus, and most of all prime proxy war territory: NATO (U.S.-Turkey) against Russia.

    The CIA spins the TOWs go to 45 “vetted” – thus “moderate rebel” – outfits. Nonsense; the weapons have been seized by the more experienced jihadis of al-Qaida in Syria, as well as the nebulae known as the Army of Conquest, supported by Saudi Arabia.

    So to smash Jabhat al-Nusra and the Army of Conquest for good, Russia started to bomb the Turkmen smugglers, which are hardly “moderates;” they are infiltrated all over by Turkish Islamo-fascists – such as the ones who machine-gunned Russian pilot Lt. Col Oleg Pershin as he was parachuting, a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions.  

    ○ July 1985: Reagan Compares Iran to `Murder Incorporated’ While White House Prepares to Sell Arms to Iran

    Cross-posted from my new diary – Erdogan: A New Hitler Stands Up.

    • 

      Oui on November 29, 2015 at 5:00 pm

      Syrian Turkmen commander who ‘killed’ Russian pilot turns out to be Turkish ultranationalist | RT |

      A Syrian rebel commander who boasted of killing a Russian pilot after Turkey downed Russian jet on Tuesday appeared to be Turkish ultranationalist and a son of former mayor in one of Turkish provinces.

      Alparslan Celik, deputy commander of a Syrian Turkmen brigade turned out to be the son of a mayor of a Keban municipality in Turkey’s Elazig province. He also turned out to be the member of The Grey Wolves ultranationalist group, members of which have carried out scores of political murders since 1970s.

      READ MORE: Russian Su-24 pilots shot dead while parachuting over Syria – Turkmen militia

      Celik came under spotlight after he announced that as the two Russian pilots descended by parachute after the Su-24 jet was downed by Turkish military, both were shot dead by Turkmen forces on Tuesday.

      Twitter message by Alparslan Celik – July 26, 2015

      ○ Al-Qaeda in Syria targets Turkmen minority | Al-Monitor |
      ○ U.S. weighs airstrikes, aid drops for besieged Iraqi town Amerli to save 1000s Shiite Turkmen from ISIS | CNN – Aug. 2014 |