Turkish PM insists Syrian plane had munitions

Turkey’s prime minister has said the Syrian passenger plane forced to land in Turkey was carrying Russian-made military equipment bound for the Syrian Defence ministry. It follows denials from both Syria and Russia that the cargo was illegal. The episode has opened a diplomatic row on two fronts for the Turkish government.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the cargo was sent by a national Russian agency which manufactures military equipment: ammunition and weapons. “These are the products that they are producing and exporting,” he said. “And the receiving company is – actually I don’t call it a company because the ministry takes it in – the receiver is the Syrian Defence Ministry.”

Russia’s ambassador in Ankara was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry for an explanation. Turkey claims the aircraft’s pilot failed to co-operate with Turkish authorities. Moscow has accused Ankara of endangering passengers’ lives. Amid high tension with Syria, some observers in Turkey are alarmed at a second row with a powerful nation. Turkey’s prime minister has said that after seizing the cargo, “the necessary will follow”.