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Wednesday 27 June 2012 - 12:10

Turkey deploys tanks near Syrian border over jet downing: Report

Story Code : 174777
Turkey deploys tanks near Syrian border over jet downing: Report
The Tuesday deployment included 15 armored tanks in addition to long-distance guns and other military vehicles, Turkey's Hurriyetdaily reported.

The move comes hours after Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to retaliate against Damascus over the downing of its fighter jet.

Erdogan said that Turkey changes the rules of engagement with Syria and branded its former ally as "a clear and imminent threat".

Syria on Friday said that a Turkish fighter jet, a F-4 Phantom, was downed in Syrian territorial waters west of the village of Om al-Tuyour in Lattakia Province, 10 kilometers from the beach.

Syrian military stressed on Friday that it had engaged the jet in the Syrian airspace “according to the laws that govern such situations.”

Erdogan said Turkey's military jet violated the Syrian airspace for a short time and "by mistake" and it was shot down by Syria "without a single warning."

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi on Monday warned NATO against forging any anti-Syria conspiracy on the downing of the Turkish fighter jet.
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