Turkish pilots who downed Russian jet part of coup plot: Official

ISTANBUL - Agence France-Presse





Two Turkish pilots who played a role in the downing of a Russian jet in November are in custody over the July 15 failed coup in Turkey, an official said late on June 18.The downing of the Russian fighter jet on the Syrian border sparked an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Russia, which ended last month when the two countries agreed to restore ties."Two pilots who were part of the operation to down the Russian Su-24 in November 2015 are in custody," a Turkish official told journalists, adding that they were detained over links to the coup bid.When asked about the issue, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said there were reports of the pilots being detained but they were yet to be confirmed.Russian President Vladimir Putin called his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 17, describing the attempted coup as unacceptable and voicing hope for a speedy return to stability.The two men are expected to meet in the first week of August, in their first face-to-face meeting since the rapprochement.Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said July 18 over 7,500 people have been detained over the July 15 botched power grab, including 103 generals and admirals.The failed putsch left more than 300 people dead. Erdoğan has accused U.S.-based scholar Fethullah Gülen and his supporters of being behind the coup, but Gülen denies any involvement.