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Turkey unclear of warplane's nationality before shoots it down: military

Xinhua, November 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Turkey had no knowledge that it was a Russian warplane when it was being warned on Tuesday, Turkish Armed Forces said on Wednesday.

Turkish military invited Russian military attaches in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday and informed about the downing of the Russian Su-24 warplane.

Turkish military said in a statement that it implemented its rule of engagement after the Russian jet ignored warnings that were made ten times by Turkish side.

The statement added that Turkish Armed Forces are making efforts to find and rescue the Russian pilots.

It said they have responded all questions and displayed radar tracks of the flights by Russian planes that violated Turkish airspace.

Military officials recalled that Turkish side conveyed rules of engagement earlier and told that rules of engagement apply if any aircraft, whose nationality is unknown, approaches Turkish airspace.

Turkish Armed Forces also had phone conversation with Russian military officials in Moscow and stated that they were ready for "all kind of cooperation," said the statement.

On Tuesday morning, the Turkish air force said its warplanes shot down a Russian Su-24 frontline bomber near the Syrian-Turkish borders , claiming the Russian aircraft had violated Turkish airspace.

Russia refuted Turkey's statement, saying the Russian plane was in Syrian airspace when it was shot down.

Also on Wednesday, at least seven people were killed and 10 others injured in an Russian air strike which targeted an aid convoy in Azaz town of northern Syria, the state-run Anadolu Agency of Turkey reported.

A total of 20 trucks were burned which were carrying cement and iron brought from Turkey to refugees after being targeted by air strikes, the report quoted local witnesses as saying.

The report also quoted Zekeria Karsli, from Syrian rebels, as saying that Russian jets targeted the aid convoy.

Russia has been carrying out airstrikes in the region since weekend. Moscow says they target members of Islamic State. Endit