Russian bomber violated Turkish air space during an air strike against targets of the 1st Coastal Division of the Free Syrian Army in the village of Yamadi last Friday on the 2nd of October.
The village of Yamadi is located in a mountainous region, only a few hundred meters from the Turkish Syrian border. It is probable that the aircraft violated Turkish air space while it was trying to line up with targets in the village. Yamadi has been a key entry point for weapons shipped to the Syrian rebels from Turkish territory.
The Russian aircraft flew 5 miles into Turkish air space. In response Turkish F-16 jets scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft, but it returned to Syrian airspace before the F-16s could reach it.
The Russian aircraft was located by Turkish air defense radar as it approached the five mile buffer zone inside Syria.
Since 2012, when a Syrian air defense missile shot down a Turkish RF-4E reconnaissance plane that had violated Syrian airspace, Turkey has implemented a five mile buffer zone inside Syria. For the last three years, the Turkish authorities have been regarding any aircraft approaching or flying inside the buffer zone as an enemy, and has been acting accordingly.
Recent photographs show that the four Su-30SM multirole fighter jets of the Russian Air Force detachment in Syria, are being used for Combat Air Patrol missions, protecting the Russian bombers during their air raids in Syria.
Unless Turkey and Russia reach an agreement about air warfare operations in Syria, it is possible that a similar incident in the future might cause serious danger for both sides.
Image Sourced: Turkish Air Force