General Staff denies that Turkish pilots have been arrested in Syria

ISTANBUL

REUTERS photo/Mahmoud Hassano

High-ranking sources in Turkey's Foreign Ministry have denied reports that have surfaced on Dec. 31 that claimed four Turkish pilots were arrested while trying to infiltrate into Syrian military airport.

The Turkish General Staff has also denied the claims in a statement on its official website.

SFour Turkish pilots have been caught trying to sneak onto a military airport near Aleppo, Syrian daily Al-Watan has reported, according to official Russian news agency RIA.

The pilots reportedly reached the area together with a Syrian opposition group.

Report further claimed that airport security noticed the group and arrested the four Turkish pilots, whose identities remain unknown.