2017 Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = 2017 Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident

| width =

| partof = the Turkish military intervention in Syria, and the Russian military intervention in Syria

| image = Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire, Russia - Air Force JP7618917.jpg

| caption = A Tupolev Tu-22M (similar to the incident aircraft)

| date = 08:40 UTC, 9 February 2017

| place = al-Bab, Syria

| coordinates = {{coord|36.2211|N|37.3104|E|type:event_region:IN|display=inline,title}}

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| combatants_header =

| combatant1 = {{Flagicon|Russia}} Russian Armed Forces

| combatant2 = {{Flagicon|Turkey}} Turkish Armed Forces

| combatant3 =

| commander1 = Viktor Bondarev

| commander2 = Zekai Aksakallı

| commander3 =

| units1 = *{{Flagicon|Russia}} Russian Air Force

| units2 = *{{Flagicon|Turkey}} Special Forces Command

| units3 =

| strength1 = 1 Tu-22M bomber

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| casualties1 =

| casualties2 = 3 Turkish soldiers killed
11 injured

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}}

The 2017 Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident occurred when three Turkish soldiers were killed and 11 injured after a Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-22M attacked Turkish soldiers accidentally at al-Bab, Syria.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/russian-bombing-mistake-kills-three-turkish-soldiers-in-syria-20170209-gu9r5d.html|title=Russian bombing mistake kills three Turkish soldiers in Syria|author=Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Daren Butler|date=2017-02-10|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

Strike

A Tupolev Tu-22M flying a strike mission against a building in al-Bab, Syria suspected of containing Islamic State fighters, dropped a bomb on a Turkish army position. The bombing killed 3 Turkish troops and injured 11 others. Turkish military officials called the strike "accidental" and an incident of "friendly fire".{{cite web | title=Russian air strike kills Turkish soldiers | website=BBC News | date=2017-02-09 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38919426 | access-date=2018-01-23}}{{cite web | title=Three Turkish soldiers killed by Russian military jet in Syria air strike | website=The Independent | date=2017-02-09 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/turkish-soldiers-syria-russia-air-strike-military-jet-vladimir-putin-erdogan-a7571936.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/turkish-soldiers-syria-russia-air-strike-military-jet-vladimir-putin-erdogan-a7571936.html |archive-date=2022-05-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | access-date=2018-01-23}}{{cbignore}} Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, said that the pilots had "guided by co-ordinates" given to them by Turkish personnel and that, "there should not have been Turkish troops at those co-ordinates." This charge was denied by Turkish officials.{{cite web | title=Turkey denies Syria air strike 'mistake' | website=BBC News | date=2017-02-10 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38933836 | access-date=2018-01-23}}

Aftermath

The Turkish General Staff announced that a Russian war plane targeted Turkish soldiers by accident. After the Russian Government confirmed the action, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and expressed his regret.{{cite web | last=Ellis | first=Ralph | title=Russian airstrike mistakenly kills 3 Turkish soldiers in Syria | website=CNN | date=2017-02-09 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/09/middleeast/russian-airstrike-accidentally-kill-3-turkish-soldiers/index.html | access-date=2018-01-23}}

Reactions

{{TUR}} - Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli on February 12 slammed a Russian statement on the "friendly fire" in Syria's al-Bab on February 10 that led to the deaths of three Turkish soldiers, describing it as a shame.{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/mhp-head-bahceli-slams-russian-statement-on-turkey-over-friendly-fire-in-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=109635&NewsCatID=338|title=MHP head Bahçeli slams Russian statement on Turkey over 'friendly fire' in Syria|date=2017-02-12|publisher=Hurriyet Daily News}} “The issue is so important that it cannot be dodged with a condolence message,” said Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in a post on Twitter over the developments in Syria.{{cite web|url=https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/02/09/kilicdaroglu-says-russia-extend-condolences/|title=Kılıçdaroğlu says Russia should do more than extend condolences|date=2017-02-09|publisher=turkishminute.com}}