Turkey ordered a Syrian civilian plane flying from Moscow to land in Ankara yesterday on the suspicion it was carrying some suspicious cargo. Today, Turkey said they found ammunition and military supplies. Syria wants to see the supposed guns they won't be receiving.
Turkey downed this plane yesterday on the suspicion it was carrying heavy weapons. It was flying from Moscow, and Russia's been one of Syria's biggest allies in the U.N. Security Council. If weapons was found, it wouldn't be a good look for Russia.
Tensions were rising between Turkey and Syria already. When Turkey threatened more military action and took down the plane, well. The statements floating around are a mess. Turkey's Prime Minister said there were Russian-made arms on the plane. From one the state's manufacturer's, no less. Russia says it's all a lie, that the plane cleared customs and security checks before taking off. Syria's foreign ministry says they want to see the weapons Turkey allegedly found. C'mon, show us. Show us the guns, they say. Turkey, if the guns do exist, likely won't have a problem showing them off. In this game of diplomatic posturing, it all weighs on who is bluffing.
Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at connorbsimpson at gmail dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.



User Comments
Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register