Turkey Wants Nato To Deploy Patriot Missile Batteries On The Syrian Border

Patriot missile being launched.

Turkey Asks NATO For Missile Defence Against Syria -- Reuters

* Turkey asks for Patriot missiles
* Seeks to defend border area from Syrian mortars
* NATO to consider request "without delay"

BRUSSELS/ANKARA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - NATO ambassadors met on Wednesday to consider a Turkish request for the deployment of Patriot missiles near its border with Syria as the conflict in its southern neighbour deepens.

The move highlights Ankara's fears that the situation on its border could deteriorate rapidly and echoes its calls for military support during the two Gulf Wars, when NATO deployed surface-to-air missiles on its soil in 1991 and 2003.

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More News On Turkey Requesting NATO To Deploy Patriot Missile Batteries On The Turkish-Syrian Border

Turkey requests Nato Patriot missiles -- The Guardian
Turkey Asks NATO to Deploy Patriot Missiles -- Wall Street Journal
Turkey has requested deployment of NATO air defense missiles over Syria civil war concerns -- Washington Post/AP
Nato to consider Turkey's Patriot missile request -- BBC
NATO to consider Turkey request for Patriots 'without delay' -- AFP
Russia: Patriot missile deployment at Syria-Turkey border would be 'alarming' -- RT
Russia Speaks Out Against Missiles on Syrian Border -- RIA Novosti
Russia opposes NATO missile deployment on Turkey-Syria border -- Reuters

My Comment: This is the first direct involvement of NATO .... albeit on the sidelines .... in the Syrian civil war. Russian concerns and objections stem over their belief that NATO will ultimately intervene in the Syrian civil war, and these Patriot deployments are just the start of such an action.

Turkey Issues A Ban On All Syrian Aircraft

As Tension Escalates, Turkey Issues A Ban On All Syrian Aircraft -- New York Times

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s foreign minister announced on Sunday a ban on all Syrian aircraft entering his country’s airspace, days after the authorities discovered what they said were Russian military munitions on board a passenger plane bound for Damascus.

The announcement followed Syria’s ban on Turkish aircraft a day earlier and became the latest volley in an increasingly aggressive dispute between the two neighbors over Syria’s devastating civil war.

In televised remarks, the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, accused Syria of using civilian flights as a cover for transporting military equipment. Turkey had already banned military aircraft from entering its territory.

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More News On Turkey Banning All Syrian Aircraft From Their Airspace

Turkey Bans Syrian Passenger Planes From Its Airspace -- Voice of America
Turkey bans all Syrian flights over its territory -- BBC
Turkey bars Syrian civilian flights from its airspace because regime was using them to transport military equipment -- Daily Mail
Turkey bans Syrian planes from its air space, rebels gain -- Reuters

Update: Syria has retaliated by doing the same thing.

Turkey Prime Minister: Syrian Plane Was Ferrying Ammunition

Turkey Says Syrian Jet Carried Russian Arms, Drawing Moscow Deeper Into Crisis -- Washington Post

BEIRUT — Turkey claimed Thursday that it had found Russian munitions aboard a Syrian passenger jet forced to land in its capital, Ankara, drawing Moscow into the spiraling Syrian-Turkish tensions that are threatening to erupt into regional war.

Russia demanded an explanation from Turkey for the interception of the Syrian Air plane, which was escorted to the civilian airport in Ankara by Turkish F-16s on Wednesday and detained for nearly eight hours before being allowed to continue on its way without its cargo.

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More News On Turkey Intercepting A Syrian Bound Plane From Moscow

Russia-Syria plane carried 'ammunition' - Turkey PM -- BBC
Grounded in Ankara: The Russian 'munitions' flight that was heading for Syria -- The Independent
Turkish PM says intercepted Syrian plane carrying ammunition -- CBC/AP
Turkey Says Jet Held Military Gear -- Wall Street Journal
Syrian plane 'carried military equipment from Russia' -- The Telegraph
Turkey Says Syrian Plane Contained Ammunition -- Voice of America
Turkey let go Syrian plane after Russian objection -- Times of India
Syria plane 'carried Russian-made munitions' -- Al Jazeera
Turkey to Syria: Don't send arms through our air space -- CNN
Turkey's ammunition claim on Syria plane 'lies' - Damascus -- BBC
Russia says its arms not onboard plane seized by Turkey -- Reuters

Is Turkey And Syria On The Brink Of All-Out War?

Syria And Turkey Are On The Brink Of All-Out War -- David Blair, The Telegraph

If anyone believed that Syria’s bloodshed would stay inside the country’s borders, the events of the last week should have put them right. I’m in southern Turkey, near the frontier with Syria, and this area feels like the new front line of the battle against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Convoys of Turkish army vehicles ply the roads down to the border and, quietly, civilians are trickling away to safer areas.

The reason is simple: cross-border artillery and mortar bombardments have become daily events. Last Friday, I went to the scene of the bloodiest incident so far, when a Syrian mortar bomb landed outside a family home in the Turkish town of Akçakale. By malign chance, a mother, her six daughters and a female relative happened to be outside, making dinner under an olive tree, when the weapon exploded beside them. They were, quite simply, cut to pieces. When I arrived, a severed human finger, covered in flies, was still lying on the ground. Three of the girls survived with critical injuries; the mother, three daughters and the visiting relative were all killed.

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My Comment: Turkey is supporting the Syrian rebels, Syria is supporting certain Kurdish separatist groups .... in short .... both are at war with each other but through proxies. Can this last? Probably not .... but before they take the step to escalate their border conflict, I do expect Turkey to accelerate their support of the Syrian Free Army by supplying them with heavy weapons, and Syria will probably respond likewise to the Kurds (if they still can).

Update #1: Why Syria's regional spillovers could prompt intervention -- Ian O. Lesser, Christian Science Monitor
Update #2: Turkey's army on high state of readiness, first step for Syria no-fly zone -- Debka

Turkey Vows A Stronger Response Against Syria If Shelling Continues

Turkey Warns Syria Of Stronger Response Over Shelling -- BBC

Turkey's top military commander has warned Syria that it will respond with greater force if it continues its cross-border shelling.

Five Turkish civilians were killed by Syrian mortar fire last week, prompting Turkey to fire into Syria for the first time since the uprising began.

Meanwhile, the US has confirmed reports it has a military task force in Jordan.

It is monitoring the security of Syria's chemical and biological weapons as well as helping with the aid effort.

In Turkey, the armed forces chief of staff Gen Necdet Ozel has been visiting the town of Akcakale, and meeting families of the two women and three children killed there by Syrian shells last week.

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More News On Turkey Vowing A Stronger Response Over Syrian Shelling

Turkey Warns Syria It May Use ‘Greater Force’ -- New York Times
Turkey vows tougher response if Syrian shelling continues -- Christian Science Monitor
Turkish General Warns of More Force Against Syria -- Wall Street Journal
Turkey warns Syria against cross-border shelling -- Reuters
Turkey warns Syria over attacks -- Irish Times
Turkish Military Chief Warns Against Further Syrian Shelling -- Voice of America
Turkey Threatens Even Stronger Response to Syrian Fire -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Turkey warns Syria it will respond 'with greater force' if shelling persists -- Haaretz/DPA

Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continue For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey Again Returns Fire After Syrian Mortar Attack -- Voice of America

CAIRO AND WASHINGTON — Turkey launched a new retaliatory strike Monday after a mortar bomb fired from Syria hit the Turkish countryside as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of "extremely dangerous" fallout from the escalating border conflict.

Ban also said he is "deeply concerned" about the continuing flow of weapons to both the Syrian government and opposition forces, and the impact of the Syrian crisis on neighboring Lebanon. He reiterated calls for a political solution, which he said is the "only way" to resolve the crisis that began in March of last year.

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More News On Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continuing For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey shells Syria for sixth day -- The Telegraph
Turkey and Syria exchange fire for sixth day -- Al Jazeera
Turkey retaliates for 6th day of Syrian shelling -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Report: Syrian shell hits Turkey again -- FOX News/AP
New Syria shell draws Turkish fire hours after U.N. warning -- Daily Star
Turkey-Syria border tension continues -- BBC
Turkey Reinforces Border Amid Artillery Exchanges With Syria -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Ban Ki-moon warns of escalating Syrian border violence -- The Australian/AFP
Plucky little Turkey standing up to evil Syria? It's not as simple as that -- Robert Fisk, The Independent

My Comment: The Turkish President is right .... the worst case scenario is unfolding in Syria.

Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continue For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey Again Returns Fire After Syrian Mortar Attack -- Voice of America

CAIRO AND WASHINGTON — Turkey launched a new retaliatory strike Monday after a mortar bomb fired from Syria hit the Turkish countryside as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of "extremely dangerous" fallout from the escalating border conflict.

Ban also said he is "deeply concerned" about the continuing flow of weapons to both the Syrian government and opposition forces, and the impact of the Syrian crisis on neighboring Lebanon. He reiterated calls for a political solution, which he said is the "only way" to resolve the crisis that began in March of last year.

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More News On Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continuing For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey shells Syria for sixth day -- The Telegraph
Turkey and Syria exchange fire for sixth day -- Al Jazeera
Turkey retaliates for 6th day of Syrian shelling -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Report: Syrian shell hits Turkey again -- FOX News/AP
New Syria shell draws Turkish fire hours after U.N. warning -- Daily Star
Turkey-Syria border tension continues -- BBC
Turkey Reinforces Border Amid Artillery Exchanges With Syria -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Ban Ki-moon warns of escalating Syrian border violence -- The Australian/AFP
Plucky little Turkey standing up to evil Syria? It's not as simple as that -- Robert Fisk, The Independent

My Comment: The Turkish President is right .... the worst case scenario is unfolding in Syria.

Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continue For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey Again Returns Fire After Syrian Mortar Attack -- Voice of America

CAIRO AND WASHINGTON — Turkey launched a new retaliatory strike Monday after a mortar bomb fired from Syria hit the Turkish countryside as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of "extremely dangerous" fallout from the escalating border conflict.

Ban also said he is "deeply concerned" about the continuing flow of weapons to both the Syrian government and opposition forces, and the impact of the Syrian crisis on neighboring Lebanon. He reiterated calls for a political solution, which he said is the "only way" to resolve the crisis that began in March of last year.

Read more ....

More News On Turkish - Syrian Artillery Clashes Continuing For A Sixth Day In A Row

Turkey shells Syria for sixth day -- The Telegraph
Turkey and Syria exchange fire for sixth day -- Al Jazeera
Turkey retaliates for 6th day of Syrian shelling -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Report: Syrian shell hits Turkey again -- FOX News/AP
New Syria shell draws Turkish fire hours after U.N. warning -- Daily Star
Turkey-Syria border tension continues -- BBC
Turkey Reinforces Border Amid Artillery Exchanges With Syria -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Ban Ki-moon warns of escalating Syrian border violence -- The Australian/AFP
Plucky little Turkey standing up to evil Syria? It's not as simple as that -- Robert Fisk, The Independent

My Comment: The Turkish President is right .... the worst case scenario is unfolding in Syria.

Syria Agrees To A Buffer Zone Along Turkish Border After Another Day Of Shelling

Syria Agrees To Buffer Zone Along Turkish Border, Say Reports -- The Guardian

Turkish media says deal struck in wake of this week's deadly border shelling incident which killed five Turkish civilians.

Syria has agreed to keep its forces six miles (10km) back from the Turkish border in the wake of this week's deadly shelling incident, Turkish media has reported.

Such a move would amount to a buffer zone – fulfilling a long-standing request by Syrian opposition groups that would allow rebels to operate freely and civilians to seek refuge.

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More News On The Tensions On the Suyrian - Tirkish Border

Turkey issues new warnings to Syria - Friday 5 October 2012 -- The Guardian
Turkey returns fire after shelling from Syria -- France 24
Turkey returns fire 'after fresh Syria shelling' -- BBC
Turkey attacks Syria for third day -- Deutsche Welle
Turkish PM warns country ‘not far’ from war with Syria; U.S. backs NATO ally’s right to defend itself against aggression -- National Post/Reuters
Syria will 'pay price' if it strikes again: Turkey PM -- AFP
Turkey sends war ships to Mediterranean -- UPI
Turkey-Syria Clash Showcases Dangers of Spillover -- Military.com
Anger and grief in Turkish border town of Akcakale -- BBC
Russia urges restraint from Turkey after Syria border attacks -- Reuters
Responses to Syrian shelling highlight Turkish-Western divide on conflict -- Christian Science Monitor
Turkey to Syria: 'We're Not Far' from War -- The Atlantic

Border Tensions Continue Between Syria And Turkey

Turkey Authorises Future Syria Raids -- Al Jazeera

Parliament votes to approve cross-border military action after deaths of five civilians in shelling.

Turkey's parliament has authorised cross-border military action against Syria, if deemed necessary by the government.

The mandate, valid for one year, was passed by 320 votes in the 550-seat Turkish parliament, the Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.

Besir Atalay, Turkey's deputy prime minister, said authorising the use of force in Syria was not a declaration of war but was intended as a deterrent.

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More News On Border Tensions Between Syria And Turkey

Turkey-Syria border tension - live updates -- The Guardian
Turkey shells Syria: latest -- The Telegraph
Syrian envoy tells UN that Damascus isn’t seeking any escalation of violence with Turkey -- Washington Post/AP
Syria apologizes (sort of) for attack on Turkey -- Foreign Policy
Turkey steps up Syria strikes, says will defend borders -- Reuters
Turkey strikes back at Syria, approves further military action -- NBC
Turkey authorizes military action in Syria after mortar attack that killed civilians -- Washington Post
Turkey Approves Possible Further Action Against Syria -- Voice of America
Turkey authorizes military operations in Syria -- FOX News./AP
After Syrian attack, Turkey OKs foreign troop deployment -- CNN
Turkey: Syria admits fault for deadly shelling -- CBS/AP
Turks wary of greater military action against Syria -- Reuters
Israel says Syrian mortar strike was attack on NATO -- Reuters
Turkey and Syria: Why neither side wants war -- Fawaz A. Gerges, CNN

Turkey's Parliament Approves Military Actions In Syria

Turkey’s Parliament Approves Further Military Action Against Syria -- New York Times

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s Parliament approved a motion Thursday that authorizes further military action against Syria, as Turkey began its second day of shelling targets within Syria in response to a mortar attack that killed five civilians.

The measure, which was ratified after several hours of a closed-door session in the capital, Ankara, permits cross-border raids, although senior officials insisted that NATO ally Turkey did not want a war with its Arab neighbor — an escalation that could turn Syria’s bloody civil strife into a regional conflict with international involvement.

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More News On A Second Day Of Shelling Between Syria And Turkey

Turkey's parliament authorises military action in Syria -- BBC
Turkey authorizes military action in Syria after mortar attack that killed civilians -- Washington Post
Turkey approves military operations in Syria -- the Telegraph
Turkey's parliament backs military action against Syria -- Deutsche Welle
Turkey tamps down talk of going to war with Syria -- Christian Science Monitor
Official: Turkey has retaliated, has 'no interest in war' with Syria -- CNN
Turkey Continues To Fire On Syria — Parliament Gives Government Military Authorization -- Business Insider
Turkey Renews Syria Strikes After Deadly Cross-Border Shelling -- Voice of America
Turkey strikes back at Syria, says will protect borders -- Reuters
Turkey Continues Bombardment Of Syrian Targets -- NPR
Turkey strikes back at Syria for second day, vows to protect its borders -- NBC

After Yesterday's Artillery Clash, Tensions Remain High On The Syrian - Turkish Border

Smoke rises over the streets after an mortar bomb landed from Syria in the border village of Akcakale, southeastern Sanliurfa province, October 3, 212. Three people including a child were killed and at least nine others seriously wounded when a mortar bomb fired from Syria hit Turkey's southeastern border region of Akcakale on Wednesday, the mayor told CNN Turk television. A Reuters witness saw at least eight seriously wounded people being taken to hospital, three of them police officers. Television footage showed a cloud of smoke and dust rising up as residents ran to help the wounded. REUTERS/Rauf Maltas/Anadolu Agency

Turkey Retaliates Against Syria: How It May Give Rebel Soldiers Cover to Expand -- Time

It was not the first time Syria artillery has hit the Turkish town of Akçakale. But this time Ankara struck back

In a major escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border, the Turkish military struck targets inside Syria on Wednesday, after shells fired from Syrian government positions killed five people in the Turkish border town of Akçakale.

It’s not the first time that the Syrian regime’s firepower has crossed international borders into neighboring states like Turkey, Lebanon, or Jordan. It’s not even the first time that Akçakale has been fired on. It was hit several times in the past few weeks during fierce battles between rebels and regime forces at the adjacent Tal Abyad border crossing. But this time, Ankara did not ignore the incursion, it retaliated.

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More News On The Syrian - Turkish Artillery Clashes On The Border

Turkey outrage at Syrian 'aggression' -- The Australian/AFP
Turkish artillery targets Syria after deadly shelling -- CBS
Turkey strikes back at Syria after mortar kills five -- Reuters
Turkey fires artillery at Syria after 5 civilians killed in Turkish border village -- Washington Post/AP
Turkey hits targets inside Syria after border deaths -- BBC
Turkey strikes targets in Syria in retaliation for shelling deaths -- CNN
Turkey strikes targets in Syria after mortar attack kills 5 -- NBC
Turkey Strikes Syria -- Voice of America
Turkish artillery targets Syria -- USA Today/AP
Turkey Responds With Artillery After Syrian Shells Kill 5 -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Turkey strikes targets inside Syria after mortar attack -- Reuters
Turkey launches artillery attacks on Syrian targets in retaliation after five civilians were killed in mortar strike -- Daily Mail
Turkey strikes Syrian targets after cross-border mortar bomb kills five -- The Guardian
Turkey launches retaliatory attack on Syrian targets -- The Telegraph

My Comment: I hope that talk of NATO becoming involved does not materialize into something substantial ... but .... NATO concerns are rising.

For The First Time Since The Start Of The Civil War, Turkey And Syria Exchange Artillery Strikes

Turkey Hits Back After Syrian Shelling -- Wall Street Journal

ISTANBUL—Turkish forces shelled targets inside Syria on Wednesday afternoon after Syrian government mortar rounds hit a Turkish border town, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said in a statement later in the day.

Turkey threatened to strike more targets inside Syria if attacks from the country are repeated, the Prime Minister's office said, pulling a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization into an armed exchange with a neighbor.

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More News On Today's Turkey And Syria Exchange Of Artillery Strikes

Turkey hits targets inside Syria after border deaths -- BBC
Turkey strikes targets in Syria in retaliation for shelling deaths -- CNN
Turkey strikes targets in Syria after mortar attack kills 5 -- NBC
Turkey Strikes Syria -- Voice of America
Turkish artillery targets Syria -- USA Today/AP
Turkey Responds With Artillery After Syrian Shells Kill 5 -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Turkey strikes targets inside Syria after mortar attack -- Reuters
Turkey launches artillery attacks on Syrian targets in retaliation after five civilians were killed in mortar strike -- Daily Mail
Turkey strikes Syrian targets after cross-border mortar bomb kills five -- The Guardian
Turkey launches retaliatory attack on Syrian targets -- The Telegraph

Did Syrian Forces Murder Two Turkish Air Force Pilots

A Turkish Air Force F-4 war plane fires during a military exercise in Izmir, in this May 26, 2010. Photo by Reuters

Turkish Pilots Killed By Assad, Not In Crash: Leaked Documents -- Al Arabiya

As political tensions mount between neighboring Syria and Turkey, newly-leaked Syrian intelligence documents obtained by Al Arabiya disclose shocking claims shedding light on the dreadful fate of two Turkish Air Force pilots.

Contrary to what was publically claimed, the documents reveal that the pilots survived the crash, but were later executed by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad!

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Update: Report: Acting on Russian intel, Syria forces murdered pilots of downed Turkey jet -- Haaretz

My Comment: Talk about trying to "stir the shit" between Turkey and Syria. The pilot's bodies were recovered, so I can only assume that an autopsy has been done to determine the cause of death. If nothing conclusive came out of it, I can then only say that we will have to wait for the eventual defeat of the Assad regime to find out the truth .... if even then.