Two Countries Disagree On Where The Conflict Occurred

Turkey has shot down a Syrian MiG-23 it says had violated Turkish airspace, while Syria says the plane had not crossed the border into Turkey.

Reuters reports that, at an election rally, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the country's F-16s had engaged the Syrian plane in Turkish airspace and shot it down. "Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard," he told the crowd.

Turkish military officials said that two planes were detected at about 1300 local time and warned four times after nearing the Turkish border at Yayladagi, east of the Kasab border crossing. Turkey claims that one of the planes crossed the border, and an F-16 fired an air-to-air missile, which hit the MiG. It reportedly went down about 1,300 yards inside Syrian territory. The pilot reportedly was able to eject from the airplane before it went down.

Syria says the act was one of "blatant aggression." They say the MiG was in pursuit of rebel fighters and operating in Syrian airspace.

Six months ago, Turkish fighters shot down a Syrian helicopter in the same area.

(Turkish Air Force F-16s pictured in file photo)

FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_National_Defence_(Turkey)