The FSA Chief of Staff Brigadier General Ahmed Berri said that Turkey downed the Russian jet fighter after it violated the Turkish airspace and after it was alerted several times without responding.
Berri revealed that the FSA fighters captured the one of the pilots while the second one was killed, adding that the Russian warplane bombed civilians in the town of Jisr al-Shughur before it was shot down.
Member of the Syrian Coalition Shalal Kiddo stated that downing the Russian warplane will have dangerous repercussions on the political process, expecting the incident will affect the upcoming Vienna meetings.
Kiddo said that such incidents have already been expected as Syrian airspace is overcrowded with aircraft of various countries and different goals.
Secretary of the political committee Anas al-Abada said that the downing of this Russian warplane is a direct result of its arrogance and its continued attempts to impose political solutions by military force.
He linked Turkey’s downing of the Russian aircraft to the former’s “serious and effective plan” to establish a safe zone in northern Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
