NATO head says Russia’s Turkey air violations ‘not an accident’

“Russia must deconflict its military activities in Syria”, he said and added that an initial assessment of the incidents indicated “that it doesn’t look like an accident”. He famous that they can “survived for quite a time”.

Second, there could be a mid-air collision close to Turkey’s borders, as this is the first time since World War Two that Russian and American combat planes have been in the skies over Syria.

ErdogaTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday warned Russia against losing Ankara’s friendship, after Russian warplanes twice violated its airspace near the Syrian border. “The Turkish side handed over information linked to a violation of its airspace”.

“If Russian Federation also loses a friend like Turkey, with whom it has made much collaboration, it will lose a lot”, Erdogan was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. Russia and the USA have been in communication to avoid potential clashes prompting fears of an accidental clash between Russian and Western forces. The head of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation also took aim at Moscow for the violations.

The USA and its allies are waging their own air campaign against Islamic State fighters in Syria, while demanding that Syrian President Bashar Assad step down and supporting other insurgents fighting against him.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, 41 different armed opposition groups said they considered recent Russian intervention in Syria – including both airstrikes and the deployment of Russian troops on the ground – tantamount to the “occupation” of the war-ravaged country.

In an apparent bid to calm tensions, Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said his office was inviting representatives of the Turkish military to join various workings group in Moscow focused on Syria.

It comes as the Russian defence ministry angrily dismissed reports that its planes had launched air strikes against the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra.

Russian Federation said earlier its military campaign in Syria will last three to four months.

This was the second similar incident involving an unidentified MiG in as many days. It is being used to unload equipment, a few of which is also being flown in.

Russian warplanes have been flying over Syrian territory since Wednesday, conducting air strikes on what Moscow says are targets belonging to so-called Islamic State jihadists and other “terrorist” groups in the country’s northern and central provinces.

More talks are expected, although a senior defense official said Monday there had been no further word from Moscow, raising doubt about Russian intentions. It also put the city’s Roman-era ruins under the militants’ control.