Turkey sends F16s to check border

2012-07-01 16:49

Ankara - Turkey's military announced that it had scrambled fighter jets to its border on Saturday after Syrian helicopters flew too close to the frontier.

A military statement on Sunday said F-16 jets had been scrambled after the helicopters flew in the area on at least three occasions.

The military did not report that any direct confrontation had taken place.

The jets were scrambled days after Turkey said it would treat any Syrian military unit approaching its border as a direct threat in response to the downing of a Turkish reconnaissance plane by Syrian forces on 22 June.

Turkey has also reinforced its border with anti-aircraft guns and other weapons.

The military said the helicopters flew as close as 6.5km to the Turkish border.

- AP