Several Turkish F-16 fighter aircraft near Syrian border after mortar attack near Turkish town 08091

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Defence & Security News - Turkey
 
 
Sunday, September 8, 2013 02:49 PM
 
Several Turkish F-16 fighter aircraft near the Syrian border after mortar attack near a Turkish town.
Turkey has dispatched several F-16 warplanes toward the Syria border following a big explosion in the area, local media reported on Sunday, September 8, 2013 . Several Turkish jets took off from Diyarbakir air base in southeastern Turkey and headed to the border region for reconnaissance mission, private Ihlas news agency reported.
     
Turkey has dispatched several F-16 warplanes toward the Syria border following a big explosion in the area, local media reported on Sunday, September 8, 2013 . Several Turkish jets took off from Diyarbakir air base in southeastern Turkey and headed to the border region for reconnaissance mission, private Ihlas news agency reported.
Turkey has scrambled F-16 fighter aircraft after “movements” were reportedly spotted on the Turkish-Syrian border. (Photo: IHA, H. Ibrahim Parlak)
     

The jets scrambled after a mortar shell exploded near the Reyhanli town of Turkey's southern Hatay province bordering Syria and a bomb-laden vehicle went off on the Syrian side.

The jets were armed with weapons and ordered to strike back if any aggressive actions happened, Turkish Today's Zaman said.

Turkish army beefed up a military presence near Syrian border last week, as the United States and its allies mull an imminent military action against the Arab country after Syrian rebels accused the government of launching a nerve agent attack near Damascus.

Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey could take a role in an international coalition for military intervention in Syria.

Turkey, once an ally of Assad but now a leading voice urging his ouster, has reportedly provided Syrian rebel army leaders with sanctuary.