US Airspace violation raises Turkey regional tensions
<noinclude>
{{date|May 28, 2007}}
[[Image:Map of Turkey (2007).gif|200px|right|thumb|[[Turkey]]]]
[[Image:Hakkari Turkey Provinces locator.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[w:Hakkari province|Hakkari province]]]]
[[Image:F16A FAP refuel KC-10.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[w:F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16 Fighting Falcon]]]]

Two [[w:United States Air Force|US Air Force]] [[w:F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]]'s have violated [[Turkey|Turkish]] airspace for four minutes over [[w:Hakkari province|Hakkari province]] on 14 May 2007. The F-16's had reportedly taken off from [[w:Afghanistan|Afghanistan]].

The air violation comes at the same time [[w:Turkish Armed Forces|Turkish Armed Forces]] conducting a search and destroy operation against the [[w:Kurdistan Workers Party|Kurdistan Workers Party]] (PKK) making preparations for a possible military operation in north of [[Iraq]]. Turkey, [[NATO]], and [[European Union]] considers PKK to be a [[w:Terrorism|terrorist]] organization.

Turkey had stepped up the pressure on Iraq and the United States to eliminate PKK presence in northern Iraq since the [[w:2007 Ankara bombing|suicide attack at Ankara]] on May 22, 2007 which killed 6 people wounded 79.

The US Embassy in [[w:Ankara|Ankara]] stated that: "The interpretation that this was a message to the Republic of Turkey was most certainly not true. This incident is strictly two US pilots confusing the border. The investigation is being conducted by the US Air Force."

Prime minister [[w:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] on a program  on the Turkish channel [[w:NTV Turkey|NTV]] stated that "if there is another airspace violation what needs to be done is clear". In military literature this translates to "unidentified military craft will be shot down" according to the [[w:Hürriyet|Hürriyet]].

== Sources ==

:'''English:'''
*{{source|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-05-28-voa17.cfm|title=US Embassy: F-16s Accidentally Entered Turkish Airspace|pub=VOA News|date=28 May 2007|author=}}
*{{source|url=http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=373940&sid=WOR|title=US jets cross into Turkish airspace|pub=Zee News|date=28 May 2007|author=}}
*{{source|url=http://english.sabah.com.tr/0853EA51372E488C9EAB9D9CA3198E34.html|title=US warplanes violate Turkey's airspace|author=|pub=Sabah|date=28 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=11330&sectionid=351020204|title=Turkey probing US air infringement ‎|author=|pub=Press TV|date=28 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=178414|title=AIRSPACE VIOLATION BY AMERICAN F-16s CAUSES STIR|author=|pub=Turkish Press.com|date=28 May 2007}}
:'''Turkish:'''
*{{source|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/6608203.asp?gid=180|title="Org.Büyükanıt'la konuştuğumuzu Allah bilir"|author=|pub=Hürriyet|date=29 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/6595521.asp?gid=180|title=2 ABD F-16’sı sınırı aştı|author=Uğur ERGAN-Özgür EKŞİ|pub=Hürriyet|date=28 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/6602080.asp?gid=180|title=Gül'ün Genelkurmay'dan beklediği bilgi geldi|author=|pub=Hürriyet|date=28 May 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/6602080.asp?gid=180|title=F-16 meydan okuması "Kazaymış"|author=|pub=Anatolian Agency|date=28 May 2007}}

== External links ==

*{{source|url=http://www.tsk.mil.tr/haberler_olaylar/hava_saha_ihlal/hava_sahasi/hava_ihlalleri_2007.htm|title=2007 Yılı Hava Sahası İhlalleri|author=|pub=Turkish Armed Forces|date=28 May 2007}}

{{publish}}

{{Archived}}
[[Category:Turkey]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Kurdistan Workers' Party]]
[[Category:Kurdistan (Iraq)]]


</noinclude>
Turkey
Hakkari province
F-16 Fighting Falcon

Two US Air Force F-16's have violated Turkish airspace for four minutes over Hakkari province on 14 May 2007. The F-16's had reportedly taken off from Afghanistan.

The air violation comes at the same time Turkish Armed Forces conducting a search and destroy operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) making preparations for a possible military operation in north of Iraq. Turkey, NATO, and European Union considers PKK to be a terrorist organization.

Turkey had stepped up the pressure on Iraq and the United States to eliminate PKK presence in northern Iraq since the suicide attack at Ankara on May 22, 2007 which killed 6 people wounded 79.

The US Embassy in Ankara stated that: "The interpretation that this was a message to the Republic of Turkey was most certainly not true. This incident is strictly two US pilots confusing the border. The investigation is being conducted by the US Air Force."

Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on a program  on the Turkish channel NTV stated that "if there is another airspace violation what needs to be done is clear". In military literature this translates to "unidentified military craft will be shot down" according to the Hürriyet.
Turkey United States Politics and conflicts Asia Europe North America Kurdistan Workers' Party Kurdistan (Iraq)