25 November 2015•Update: 26 November 2015
ISTANBUL
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his French counterpart Francois Hollande on Wednesday regarding the downing of Russian aircraft.
According to presidency sources, who are not named according to protocol, Hollande said he supported Turkey’s national sovereignty and right to self-defense.
Reportedly, the two leaders agreed to de-escalate the tension in the region and to ensure the political transition process in Syria. They also stressed the importance to focus on tackling Daesh.
On Tuesday, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets on an aerial patrol intercepted a Russian warplane within engagement rules when it intruded into Turkish airspace on the Turkey-Syria border.
The intruding aircraft was warned about the violation 10 times within five minutes before it was shot down.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its Russian SU-24 fighter jet had been shot down. It crashed in the Syrian region of Bayirbucak close to Yayladagi district of Turkey's southern Hatay province.
NATO confirmed the accuracy of information shared by Turkey about the violation.
It was not the first time Russian fighter jets had violated Turkish airspace. In early October, Russian warplanes breached Turkish airspace. Russian officials apologized and pledged that no such incident would be repeated. Turkey had also renewed its warning on engagement rules, including a military response against violations of Turkish airspace.
