Escalating tensions with Russia, Turkey defended its forced landing of a Syrian passenger jet en route from Moscow to Damascus, saying on October 11 it was carrying Russian ammunition and military equipment destined for the Syrian Defence Ministry. Syria branded the incident piracy. The accusation by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan contradicted denials by both Russia and Syria that anything illegal had been aboard the Airbus A320 that was intercepted over Turkish airspace on October 10. “Equipment and ammunitions that were being sent from a Russian agency … to the Syrian Defence Ministry,” were confiscated from the jetliner, Erdogan told reporters in Ankara. “Their examination is continuing and the necessary (action) will follow.”
Turkish media said the seized cargo included missile parts as well as radio receivers, antennas and other military communications equipment. “As you know, defence industry equipment or weapons, ammunitions … cannot be carried on passenger planes,” Erdogan said. “It is against international rules for such things to pass through our air space.”