Russian Su-35s Intercept Turkish F-16s Over Syria’s Idlib - Reports

Two Russian Air Force Su-35 air superiority fighters have reportedly intercepted Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcons over the southern countryside of Syria’s Idlib Governorate. Russia has stationed Su-35 fighters in Khmeimim Airbase in Syria’s Latakia governate since January 2016, following the Turkish downing of a Russian Su-24 strike fighter near the Syrian-Turkish border the previous year. While the Su-24 lacked an air-to-air combat capability, and aircraft previously deployed such as the Su-25 and Su-34 were designed primarily for air-to-ground roles to conduct airstrikes against Islamist insurgent groups, the Su-35 has been equipped from the outset with air-to-air missiles and is intended to defend Russian and local government forces in the theatre.

Idlib remains the last major strong hold of anti-government jihadist groups in Syria, primarily include fighters from Al Qaeda and a number of its present and former affiliates. The call to holy war against the Syrian state has drawn fighters from across much of the world from China’s Xinjiang province to the Middle East, Europe and West Africa. Militant groups have received considerable backing from a number of Western aligned Arab gulf states as well as from Turkey, and considerable political support from the Western Bloc. The Turkish Armed Forces have maintained an extensive presence in Idlib, including integrating advisors and special forces into jihadist paramilitary units.

While Russia and to a lesser extent Syria have not prioritised evicting Turkish units from Syrian territory, instead prioritising the defeat of jihadist groups and ending of the country’s eight year war, the move to intercept Turkish fighters can be seen as a red line against an expanded Turkish Air Force presence over Syrian skies. Allowing Turkish fighters to enter Syrian territory unanswered could set a dangerous precedent, and potentially allow Turkey to carry out an expanded campaign of air strikes against Syrian forces in support of Turkish backed jihadist groups. The incursion by Turkish F-16s reportedly came after a series of victories by Syrian forces against jihadist groups near the city of Khan Sheikhoun, near to where the fighters were attempting to operate. Syrian fighter aircraft reportedly also struck a Turkish supply convoy on Syrian territory which had been supporting the jihadist fighters and was attempting to provide logistical support to their retreat. While the Syrian Air Force retains relatively poor air-to-air capabilities, and is focused overwhelmingly on ground attacks using ageing platforms such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23, Russia’s small air contingent retains a robust anti-aircraft capability. The two Su-35 fighters dispatched reportedly succeeded in driving the Turkish F-16s out Syrian airspace within two minutes.