Syria-bound plane leaves Turkey after cargo search

ANKARA - Agence France-Presse

The plane was cleared for departing to Syria on Jan. 12. AA photo

A Syria-bound plane, which was briefly grounded at Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport on Jan. 11 for a cargo check, has left Turkey after officials discovered it was only carrying blankets, Cihan news agency reported today.

The plane reportedly waited for weather conditions to improve for departure and left Turkey at around 12 p.m on Jan. 12.

The plane, which was owned by a Pakistani company, was carrying blankets to the Syrian Red Crescent dispatched by a Chinese company, reports said.

It had reportedly taken off from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

In 2012, Ankara forced a Syrian plane that had taken off in Russia to land for inspections, and seized some of its cargo on claims that it contained military supplies for the regime in Damascus.

In the same year, Turkish authorities allowed another Syria-bound plane from Armenia to resume its journey after grounding it for a search.