17 May 2012Turkey has asked for an explanation from Israel after an Israeli aircraft violated air space of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on May 14.
Diplomatic sources said Thursday that the Charge d'Affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Ankara, Yosef Levi Sfari, was phoned by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and asked to make an explanation over Israeli violation of Turkish Cypriot air space. The Israeli side has not provided any explanation yet.
The TRNC Presidency warned Israel by speaking with their ambassador in the Greek Cypriot administration, Michael Hariri.
On May 14, an Israeli jet violated Turkish Cypriot air space.
A Turkish General Staff statement posted on the web-site said Israeli jet violated Turkish Cypriot air space for five times and for a total duration of eight minutes.
Upon seeing the violation of Turkish Cypriot air space by the Israeli jet, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets based in Incirlik were placed on alarm, also known as a case of "Scramble", and performed a flight within Turkish Cypriot air space and prevented the Israeli jet from further violating TRNC air space. |
