Turkey downs Assad regime's warplane in Syria

Turkey's Defense Ministry said on March 2 that a warplane of the Syrian regime's forces had been shot down in the course of a Turkish-led military offensive launched in northwest Syria to push back the forces of Bashar al-Assad.

The downed jet was described as an L-39 warplane in the ministry's statement.

The Syrian state news agency SANA separately reported that a Syrian warplane had been targeted by Turkish forces.

The ministry's statement also said that the operation "continued successfully through the night."

Within the last 24 hours, Turkish forces have destroyed one aircraft, one drones, six tanks, two air defense systems, five howitzers and multiple rocket launchers, three armored combat vehicles, six military vehicles, and one ammunition depot, the statement said.

Some 327 soldiers of the Syrian regime have been "neutralized," according to the statement.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" to imply the people in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

On March 1, Turkey announced a new offensive, "Operation Spring Shield," in Idlib, northwestern Syria.

The operation came after at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed and dozens injured in an Assad regime airstrike in the Idlib de-escalation zone, just across Turkey's southern border, on Feb. 27.

 

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