Turkey says downed jet not a warplane

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Saturday, June 23 a jet that was shot down by Syria a day earlier was not a warplane but a reconnaissance aircraft, Hurriyet Daily News reported citing state-run television TRT.

It was not immediately clear where Arinc, who is also the government's spokesman, was speaking. Turkish media said the downed jet was an F-4 Phantom, a supersonic jet fighter which can also carry out reconnaissance operations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held a meeting with commanders and the head of the intelligence service to discuss what steps Turkey would take after Syria shot down one of its military aircraft, media reported.

The meeting lasted two hours and was attended by the military's deputy chief of staff, senior military commanders and the head of the National Intelligence Agency, who also discussed the search operation for the missing pilots, media reported citing the Foreign Ministry.

They gave no further details, HDN says.