Syria accuses Turkey of escalating tensions after shooting down Syrian helicopter

ABOVE: Turkish jet shoots down Syrian helicopter

BEIRUT – Syria’s army is accusing Turkey of seeking to escalate tensions along the two nations’ already volatile border after a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Syrian military helicopter there the day before.

Tuesday’s statement from the military says the helicopter had entered Turkish airspace by mistake while on a mission to monitor for cross-border infiltration of rebels. It was downed as it was returning to Syria.

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Syria says Turkey “hastily” shot down the helicopter, thus revealing Ankara’s “real intentions” of ramping up tensions.

Damascus says the helicopter had travelled a “short distance” in Turkish airspace before turning back.

Turkey’s government has said the helicopter ignored repeated warnings to leave. It crashed inside Syria after being hit by missiles fired from a Turkish fighter jet.