(Vatican Radio) Turkey scrambled fighters and briefly detained a Syrian passenger
plane yesterday, suspecting it of carrying military equipment from Moscow. The plane
was on route to Damascus with 30 passengers on board when Turkish military fighter
jets forced it to land at Ankara airport.
Turkish authorities said they seized
some of the cargo from the Airbus A320 , but declined to say what it was.
Turkey’s
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu speaking on Turkish television said the government
had received information on the cargo being transported.
"Today we received
information this plane was carrying cargo of a nature that could not possibly be in
compliance with the rules of civil aviation,"
As the plane later left the Turkish
capital the Minister warned they would continue to be vigilant.
"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,"
As
fighting continues in Syria, Turkey has been responding to gunfire and shelling coming
across from northern Syria.
Turkey's armed forces have strengthening their
presence along the border and Turkey's military chief says three will be a more forceful
response if shelling continues to spill over. Listen to Lydia O'Kane's report