Turkey scrambles fighter jets near Syrian border
Syrian refugees watch the border from Oncupinar Refugee Camp on April 9, 2012 in Kilis. Two other Syrians and Turkish translator were wounded near a refugee camp in the same area when shots were fired from Syria, as border tension escalated ahead of a visit by top international mediator Kofi Annan.
Turkey scrambled fighter jets near its border with Syria yesterday, the Turkish army said in a statement.
Six F-16 fighter jets were scrambled in three separate incidents, in which Syrian military helicopters were spotted near the border area, the BBC reported.
The Turkish army said there had been no violation of Turkey's airspace.
Four of the jets had scrambled from Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, while two other F-16s were sent from a base in Batman, ITV reported.
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Relations between the former allies are tense.
Turkey on Thursday sent rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weaponry to its border with Syria, in response to the downing of a F-4 Phantom jet on June 22 by Syrian forces.
Turkey has been outspoken in condemning the Syrian government's response to the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
More than 30,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey during the 16-month uprising.
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