Assad 'regrets' F-4 jet's downing

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is quoted as saying he regrets “100%” that a Turkish jet was shot down after entering Syrian airspace.

In an interview with Turkey’s Cumhuriyet newspaper, he argues that the plane was flying in an area previously used by Israel’s air force. The plane went down in the Mediterranean last month and the two pilots have not been found. The incident has heightened tensions between the two countries.

Last week, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Syria’s action and described the neighbouring country as a “clear and present threat”.

Turkey’s border areas were reinforced with rocket-launchers and anti-aircraft guns on Friday. It has also emerged that the Turkish air force scrambled fighter jets on three consecutive days after Syrian helicopters were said to have approached the border.