Turkey's Downing of Russia Su-24 May Add to Tensions in Region

Andros Kyprianou, Secretary General of the communist party of Cyprus, said that if Turkey wants to combat ISIL, Turkey should join actions with Russia, not to fight against it.

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) — The downing of Russia's Su-24 bomber jet by Turkey is a dangerous incident that could have an escalating effect on the entire region, Andros Kyprianou, Secretary General of the communist party of Cyprus — Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) — told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"This is a very dangerous development which may escalate the situation in the whole broader region," Kyprianou said.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Russian Su-24M jet was shot down in Syria by a Turkish air-to-air missile shot from an F-16 fighter jet as it flew near the Turkish border. The Su-24 was carrying out precision strikes against terrorist Islamic State (ISIL) targets in northern Syria.

"I strongly believe that if really everybody means what they say that they want to combat ISIS and find a way to eliminate it, they should join their actions, instead of fighting against Russia," Kyprianou added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the plane was downed by an air-to-air missile launched by the Turkish F-16 jet over the Syrian territory, and fell 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Turkish border. Putin described the Turkish attack as a "stab in the back" carried out by "accomplices of terrorists."