Turkey Says Russia Violated Airspace More Than Once

The skies over Syria are increasingly crowded, and increasingly risky.

According to the United Nations, more than 250,000 people have since been killed in the conflict, which continues to pit several heavily-armed factions – including Daesh and the regime itself – against one another. But Russia’s air strikes would make it nearly impossible to implement.

But a Russian defense official said the talks should be much broader than what the Pentagon is seeking.

As diplomats talked, the violence in Syria continued unabated. The head of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation also took aim at Moscow for the violations. A security official last month estimated their number at 2,400. Turkey warned that any future aerial intruder would be treated like an enemy.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the USA was “quite concerned” by Russia’s action, describing it as a provocation.

These include undertakings on which language Russian and American pilots will use for communication, the choice of radio frequency and the altitude at which warplanes will operate, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The situation in Syria is unlike any in recent memory, with multiple air forces bombing a variety of targets, sometimes at cross purposes, and with no single mechanism for command and control.

The foreign ministry reiterated Tuesday that Russia’s involvement in Syria would be limited to its current air campaign.

An image from the Russian Defence Ministry shows an aircraft reportedly dropping bombs on the Islamic State.

Airstrikes also were reported in the rural part of the city of Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital.

The Russian Defence Ministry itself has said it has more than 50 warplanes and helicopters in Syria. USA and Russian officials met once by video conference late last week.

Secretary of State John Kerry said it illustrated concerns about an escalated Syrian conflict.

The alliance also urged Russian Federation to “immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians” and focus instead on hitting IS. Turkish warplanes are completely incorporated into the coalition assault arrangement, just like those of Australia, which started flying strike missions over Syria in September.

Russian Federation is ready to share specific reconnaissance data about Islamic State (IS) positions and activities with the anti-IS coalition, he added.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Washington is “conferring” with Ankara over the issue.

“We have been through this, we know what it is like and we don’t want to see worldwide terrorism in our country again. Among other matters, they will discuss regional coordination issues”, an Israeli military officer said on Monday.

Read Also: Syrian rebels call for regional alliance against Russia Stoltenberg declined to comment on whether the Russian planes had locked their radar on the F-16 Turkish jets scrambled on Saturday to remove Russian aircraft from the airspace, usually a prelude to firing. The strikes were Moscow’s first against IS targets in the area, AFP says in a separate report.