Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey, in the first such incident, has reported shooting
down a Syrian military helicopter.

Officials said the Turkish Air Force downed a Syrian military helicopter
on Sept. 16 in Turkish air space.

The officials said the Syrian Mi-17 helicopter ignored Turkish warnings to return to Syria.

“It was continuously warned by our air defense but as the violation continued, it fell on Syrian soil at 2:25 p.m., having been hit by missiles from our planes,” Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said.

This marked the first Turkish downing of a Syrian military aircraft. In June 2012, Syrian air defense downed a Turkish F-4 fighter-jet over the
Mediterranean Sea.

The shooting of the Syrian helicopter reflected a revision of Turkey’s military rules of engagement. Officials said the Turkish Air Force also bolstered operations along the 900-kilometer border with Syria.

“There had been harassment fire from the other side,” Arinc
said.

Officials said the Syrian helicopter was shot down two kilometers inside
Turkey. They said the helicopter, with two pilots, managed to return to
Syrian territory and crashed.

The Turkish military said it had tracked the Mi-17 at a distance of 26
nautical miles from Turkish air space. The military said the helicopter
entered Turkish air space and was downed by two Turkish Air Force F-16
multi-role fighters.

“Nobody will dare to violate Turkey’s borders in any way again,” Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said. “The necessary measures have been
taken.”

  Ahmet Davutoglu, Bulent Arinc, Syrian Mi-17 helicopter shot down over Turkish air space, Turkish F-16 multi-role fighters