Turkish Air Force F-16 has just shot down a Syrian helicopter that violated the Turkish airspace

According to an official statement by Turkey’s deputy PM, a Syrian helicopter (possibly an Mi-8/17 Hip, based on the amount of such types in service) that had violated the Turkish airspace by 2 km was shot down earlier today by Turkish Air Force F-16s.

The episode took place at 4.00 PM local time in the southern province of Hatay, near Güveççi.

According to the first reports, a number of F-16s were scrambled to intercept the chopper as soon as it was nearing the border.

In June 2012, a Turkish RF-4E Phantom reconnaissance jet was downed by a Syrian Air Defense Unit. On Sept. 2, Assad launched two Syrian Air Force Su-24 attack planes towards Cyprus to probe British airbase’s air defenses; the aircraft turned back to Syria, after RAF Typhoons and TuAF F-16s were scrambled to intercept them.

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