Kurdish militants reportedly shoot down Turkish security forces helicopter

[Lord Tammerlain]

Kurdish militants reportedly shoot down Turkish security forces helicopter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-challenged-turkish-air-power-in-a-major-way/

On Saturday, media affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a leftist militant group battling the Turkish state, posted a video purporting to show a fighter downing a Cobra attack helicopter with a man-portable air-defense system — or MANPADS — in the mountains of southeastern Turkey on Friday morning. Arms observers said this is the first time they have seen PKK fighters successfully using MANPADS in their four-decade fight against the Turks.

Video is in the link

A significant development

 

[dimensionallava]

Kurdish militants reportedly shoot down Turkish security forces helicopter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-challenged-turkish-air-power-in-a-major-way/




Video is in the link

A significant development

its not significant at all, the PKK has done this before the turkish government always calls it a crash or a mechanical failure, (as you can see they tried with this one again from your source), but this might be the first video of them hitting one in awhile but they have had these weapons for years. The turkish military keeps as many details about this civil war as quiet as it can

the turkish government killed atleast 17 people a few days ago

17 PKK terrorists killed in SE Turkey

the turkish government then killed another 22 people in response to this attack earlier today

Turkish military says killed 22 Kurdish militants in clashes - SWI swissinfo.ch

 

[Beaudreaux]

Kurdish militants reportedly shoot down Turkish security forces helicopter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-challenged-turkish-air-power-in-a-major-way/




Video is in the link

A significant development

It is significant, since it appears to me, in the video anyway, to be a Russian made MANPAD (called an SA-18 Grouse 9K38 Igla) which if accurate was used to shoot down a NATO member's military aircraft. The US overtly gives full military support to the Kurds in Iraq, and covertly gives food and financial aid to the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and air support to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). At the same time, the US officially lists the PKK as a terrorist organization.

The US has done everything we can to keep SAM's out of Syria, but Russia has flooded the area (as has Iran) with all sorts of weapons that have fallen into the hands of almost every group in the combat zone.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

It is significant, since it appears to me, in the video anyway, to be a Russian made MANPAD (called an SA-18 Grouse 9K38 Igla) which if accurate was used to shoot down a NATO member's military aircraft. The US overtly gives full military support to the Kurds in Iraq, and covertly gives food and financial aid to the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and air support to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). At the same time, the US officially lists the PKK as a terrorist organization.

The US has done everything we can to keep SAM's out of Syria, but Russia has flooded the area (as has Iran) with all sorts of weapons that have fallen into the hands of almost every group in the combat zone.

Russia does not want AA weapons in the region. the Igla AA missile was sold to Iraq and Libya. Countries the US helped to take down the government. In Libya it is suspected the US embassy was collecting AA missiles to be sent to Syria to be given to the rebels fighting the Syrian government.

 

[cpwill]

Russia does not want AA weapons in the region. the Igla AA missile was sold to Iraq and Libya. Countries the US helped to take down the government. In Libya it is suspected the US embassy was collecting AA missiles to be sent to Syria to be given to the rebels fighting the Syrian government.

Um. Yeah. If there is anything I can think of that would upset the Russians, it would be the Turks losing a bird...

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Um. Yeah. If there is anything I can think of that would upset the Russians, it would be the Turks losing a bird...

What would upset the Russians is seeing those weapons move from the Kurds to other Syrian rebels, or to Chechen rebels in Chechnya. Russia does have aircraft including helicopters in the region and if they provided weapons to the Kurds, see those weapons used to shoot down its aircraft later

As for the actual downing of the Turkish helicopter, I am sure Russia is feeling fairly good about it

 

[cpwill]

What would upset the Russians is seeing those weapons move from the Kurds to other Syrian rebels, or to Chechen rebels in Chechnya.

That's the opposite of the direction of movement. :shrug: ISIL has already demonstrated an AA capability.

As for the actual downing of the Turkish helicopter, I am sure Russia is feeling fairly good about it

It's not quite payback, but I'm sure it's satisfying.

 

[kanabco]

Kurdish militants reportedly shoot down Turkish security forces helicopter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-challenged-turkish-air-power-in-a-major-way/




Video is in the link

A significant development

Hard for me to watch. I hate to see choppers hit. Personal.