![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Syrian-warplane-goes-down.jpg\")
<\/a>TURKEY has downed two Syrian planes as part of a military offensive in the war-torn country – and opened its borders to floods of refugees entering Europe.<\/span><\/p>\nOn Sunday, Turkey reacted after one of their drones was downed by Russian-backed Syrian forces on Thursday \u2013 stoking further tension between the two nations.<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday’s strike offensive took place in the northwestern province of Idlib \u2013 the last opposition held stronghold in Syria, dominated by al-Qaida linked fighters.<\/span><\/p>\n The operation resulted in 33 Turkish troops being killed in a single airstrike – and nearly one million civilians fleeing towards Turkey\u2019s guarded border.<\/span><\/p>\n Turkey’s Defense Ministry later confirmed it had hit the two SU-24 aircraft in its latest airstrike, as well as Syrian air defence systems and a military airport.<\/span><\/p>\n AFP later reported that 19 Syrian fighters had been wiped out by Turkish strikes on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n Turkish defence minister Hulusi Akar confirmed Sunday’s operation – dubbed ‘Spring Shield’- and vowed that any attack on Turkish forces or observation posts in Idlib would be met with retaliation.<\/span><\/p>\n Later on Sunday, Syrian state news agency SANA said the four pilots in the two jets shot down had ejected and landed safely.<\/span><\/p>\n Citing a military source, the SANA report said: “Any aircraft that violates our airspace will be dealt with as an enemy aircraft that must be brought down.”<\/span><\/p>\n The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Moscow could not guarantee the safety of Turkish planes flying in Syria after Damascus shut airspace.<\/span><\/p>\n “In these conditions the leadership of Russia’s military contingent (in Syria) cannot guarantee the safety of Turkish flights in Syrian skies,” TASS cited Counter Admiral Oleg Zhuravlev as saying<\/span><\/p>\n In response to the Turkish rocket attack, Syria said northwestern airspace was closed – and any aircraft or drone that entered would be treated as an enemy and destroyed.<\/span><\/p>\n The Assad regime has already claimed it has shot down three Turkish drones used to target its bases following the attack on it’s two warplanes.<\/span><\/p>\n Turkey backs the Syrian rebels fighting in Idlib province, and has sent thousands of troops into the area.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, the decision to open the country\u2019s borders with Europe comes after months of President\u00a0 Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatening to flood Europe with migrants.<\/span><\/p>\n Originally Turkey agreed to help curb the EU refugees entering Europe in return for financial aid in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n