Turkey says Greece harassed its jets during NATO mission

Turkey summons the Greek military attaché and files a complaint with NATO after Greek fighter jets allegedly harassed Turkish fighter jets that were conducting an “important mission” for the military alliance, Turkey’s state-run news agency reports.

The Anadolu Agency says F-16s belonging to Greece harassed Turkish pilots flying the same model by putting Turkey’s aircraft under a radar lock during the NATO mission over the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey “gave the necessary response” and forced the planes to leave the area, Anadolu says, without elaborating.

Anadolu says Turkey’s defense ministry notified NATO officials about the alleged harassment and summoned the Greek military official in Ankara, accusing Greece of endangering a NATO mission.

Greece rejected the Turkish version of events. The Defense Ministry said five Turkish jets appeared without prior notification to accompany a flight of US B-52 bombers — which hadn’t been due to have a fighter escort — through an area subject to Greek flight control.

It said four Greek fighters were scrambled and chased off the armed Turkish planes, adding that Athens informed NATO and US authorities of the incident.
Greece also accused Turkey of 78 violations of Greek airspace Tuesday with 23 planes, 15 of which were armed.