US 'believes Russian jet exploded in Syrian airspace' (official)

The Russian warplane shot down on Tuesday was hit inside Syrian airspace after briefly entering Turkish airspace, Reuters cited a senior US official as saying on Wednesday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said that the assessment was based on detection of the heat signature of the jet.

The incident caused international powers to plead for calm as tensions soared between the two rival players in the Syria war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed Ankara as "accomplices of terrorists" while the Russian military announced it would cease all military contact with Turkey.

Moscow said one of two pilots who ejected from the Su-24 plane was killed by gunfire from the ground as he descended, although Turkish officials insisted both were still alive.

A Russian soldier was also killed when a helicopter search-and-rescue operation came under fire, the Russian defence ministry said.

US President Barack Obama said Turkey had "a right to defend its territory and its airspace" but urged against any escalation, while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also called for calm...
 [i24news.tv]
25/11/15