Turkey orders Armenian plane to land for security check: official

AFP , Monday 15 Oct 2012

Turkey orders an Armenian plane heads to the Syrian city of Aleppo for security checks on its cargo

An Armenian plane on its way to Syria's battered second city of Aleppo was forced to land in Turkey on Monday for security checks on its cargo, a foreign ministry official said, just days after a similar move against a Syrian plane flying from Russia.

"The civilian plane carrying humanitarian aid from Armenia to Aleppo asked for permission to use Turkish airspace," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We gave the permission on condition that the plane takes a technical landing and it will take off if the cargo is clear after security checks," added the official.

The plane was intercepted by Turkish fighter jets, the Milliyet newspaper reported on its website.

Last Wednesday, Ankara forced a Syrian passenger plane en route from Mosow to Damascus to land in the Turkish capital because it was believed to be carrying suspect cargo.

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