Turkish F-16s scramble as Syrian helicopters approach border

Hurriyet.com.tr

AFP file photo

Turkey scrambled F-16 warplanes as Syrian helicopters flew close to the border near the province of Hatay and Mardin yesterday.
 
Fighter jets were scrambled in three separate instances of alert, the Turkish General Staff announced on its website today.
 
Two F-16s took off from İncirlik air base in the southern province of Adana at 9:12 a.m. as a Syrian MI-17 approached Turkish airspace from the south of Hatay.
 
Another alert was given at 3:05 p.m. when a Syrian MI-8 helicopter again approached Hatay and got as close as four miles. Two F-16 from the "scramble wing" took off from İncirlik air base and patrolled the border area. 
 
The final scramble order was given at 6:05 p.m. as an MI-8 helicopter approached the border near the southeastern Mardin province. Two F-16s immediately took off from an airbase in Batman in southeastern Turkey.
 
No air space violations occurred in the incidents, the General Staff said.