Turkish foreign minister denies reports of Turkish pilots in Syria

ISTANBUL

AA Photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has dismissed Syrian media claims that Turkish pilots were caught after trying to infiltrate a military airport, saying such reports were "absolutely untrue."
 
"We find such manipulative reports in the media quite odd. But we find it even stranger that the opposition party is making all these statements that put the Armed Forces in a difficult position," Davutoğlu said today.
 
"No Turkish military officer is in Syria right now," Davutoğlu added. "Our statement is clear. We ask the people of Turkey to be aware of these manipulations."


CHP deputy questions government on claims of Turkish pilots in Syria

Republican People's Party deputy Lütfi Baydar has asked members of the government to respond to Syrian media claims that Turkish pilots were caught after trying to infiltrate a military airport, daily has Hürriyet reported.

Baydar identified nearly 10 Turkish pilots in his official parliamentary question and asked Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to clarify the situation. 

Baydar also asked whether or not there were any Turkish officials who have been killed in Syria.
 
High-ranking sources in Turkey's Foreign Ministry denied reports made by Syrian daily Al-Watan on Dec. 31, 2012, that said four Turkish pilots were arrested while trying to sneak into the airfield.

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