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Armenia to introduce commercial helicopter services

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commercial helicopter

commercial helicopter

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Soon civilian helicopter aviation services will enter the Armenian market.

Armenian Helicopters, the service operator, has already filed for aviation permit to the general department of civil aviation.

The government granted the company customs privileges for importing equipment with the purpose of encouraging the business, the general department of civil aviation told ARMENPRESS.

The services will be delivered with the US-made Robinson R66 and the European AIRBUS EC130T2 choppers.

Armenian Helicopters is planning to make over 10 million dollars worth investments in the upcoming three years.

Armenian Helicopters will offer charter flights in Armenia and certain neighboring countries. Commercial air transport services will also include sightseeing tours and VIP transportations, according to the company’s website.

Breaking News: U.S.-backed Kurds Shoot Down Turkish Military Helicopter in Syria

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Kurds Shoot Down Turkish Military Helicopter in Syria

Kurds Shoot Down Turkish Military Helicopter in Syria

As of Friday, Turkish warplanes have launched a new wave of bombing of Kurdish militia targets in Syria’s Afrin region

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says those responsible will ‘suffer the consequences.

A Turkish military helicopter has been shot down in northern Syria during an operation against US-backed Kurdish forces, according to Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Speaking in Istanbul, Mr Erdoğan did not mention the name of the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG but said those responsible would pay for their actions.

The Turkish military has not made a statement but a spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, confirmed his fighters downed the chopper in Raju, northwest Afrin.

“A military helicopter was downed. We will have losses, but they [perpetrators] will suffer the consequences,” Mr Erdoğan said, according to YeniSafak.

“Our security forces are engaging in a great fight. We destroyed many of their missile depots yesterday,” he added.

Turkey launched a military offensive on 20 January to uproot the YPG from Afrin in what has been dubbed Operation Olive Branch.

The YPG are considered by Turkey to be an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Nineteen Turkish soldiers have died since the operation started

Helicopter crashes shortly after takeoff in Istanbul, 5 dead, Turkish executive and “four Russian guests.”

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A helicopter with seven passengers on board has crashed in the Turkish city of Istanbul, killing five people.

The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, which is owned by Turkish conglomerate Eczacibasi, came down shortly after takeoff from Istanbul’s Ataturk airport on Friday.

“According to initial information, five died,” Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said.

Bulent Eczacibasi, the chairman of the conglomerate, said in a statement that the helicopter was carrying two Turkish pilots and five passengers, including one Turkish executive of the group and “four Russian guests.”

The firm’s Russian operations chief was reportedly among the guests, who were on their way to another district in the city.

There were no victims on the ground as the road where the helicopter crashed was largely deserted at the time.

“We have no information on the details, the cause of the crash will become evident after the evaluations,” the firm’s chairman said in an earlier statement.

Turkish media speculated that the incident occurred due to foggy weather.

State media and other reports said the aircraft hit a television tower but the governor said he was unable to confirm the account, adding that investigations were under way.

Turkey, Riyadh, and Qatar ‘Responsible for Downing Russian Helicopter in Syria’

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Holicapter downA Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down in northwestern Syria on Monday killing all five Russian servicemen on board. In an interview with Sputnik, Dr. Marcus Papadopoulos, Editor of Politics First Magazine, put the blame on an alliance of terrorist groups called the Army of Conquest and its suppliers.

“I have no doubt about that. They have in their possession advanced weapons. We are talking about tanks, other armored vehicles, antitank weapons and antiaircraft missiles. The question is who has supplied them with these antiaircraft missiles?” he continued, adding that they could have apparently been supplied by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar.”

“Therefore, they are responsible for the downing of Russia’s Mi-8 helicopter, which was on a humanitarian mission in Syria, and for the death of all five Russian servicemen on board,” Marcus Papadopoulos continued.

Dr. Papadopoulos said that the Army of Conquest formed at the beginning of 2015 and after its formation it scored a major  battlefield victory when it captured Idlib city in the north of Syria and the rest of the province.

“Its political and financial backers are Saudi Arabia and Turkey and even though Ankara may now be reconsidering its policy of supporting Islamist terrorist groups, Turkey is the major supporter of the Army of Conquest responsible for numerous atrocities in Aleppo with their artillery bombardment of civilians,” he noted.

https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/riyadh-qatar-and-turkey-responsible-for-downing-of-russias-mi-8-in-syria-marcus-papadopoulos

When asked that whether the downing of the Russian helicopter and the death of its crew will lead to the Army of Conquest losing its foreign sponsors or becoming officially recognized as a terrorist group, Dr. Papadopoulos said that “there is little chance of that happening because the Americans are supporting numerous other Islamist terrorist groups in Syria.”

He said that when in 2013 Daesh started to make its move in Syria there was no condemnation from the American government. It was only toward the end of that year when Daesh reemerged in Iraq and started posing a direct threat to the Western-backed Iraqi government that the Americans finally acted. Prior to that, they were only too happy to see Daesh advancing in Syria, capturing Syrian territories and committing atrocities.

“So there is no chance of the US listing the Army of Contest as a terrorist group,” Dr. Papadopoulos noted.

The downing of the Russian helicopter came shortly after Daesh posted a video where it called for waging a jihad against Russia.

When asked whether these two things could be connected somehow, Dr. Papadopoulos said that after Russia launched its antiterrorist campaign in Syria that actually turned the table in that conflict, it is now seen by Daesh, al-Nusra Front, the Army of  Conquest and others as one of their main enemies.

Answering a question about the terrorists disseminating video accounts of their atrocities, Dr. Panadopoulos said that such photos and videos must be banned and that there should be censorship.

“I don’t really care what people in the West say about censorship being not in line with Western values of democracy and freedom of expression. There has to be a line drawn somewhere, that pictures of atrocities, beheadings, of bodies being dragged behind trucks should be prohibited on social media.”

“This would deprive the terrorists of a very important channel of recruitment. We have to fight them on the battlefield and we should also beat them on social media by banning their pages on Facebook and preventing them from uploading their appalling photos and videos,” Dr. Marcus Papadopoulos emphasized.

The downing of the Mi-8 has become the deadliest episode for the Russian military since it started bombing terrorist-held territories in Syria in September 2015.

Russian helicopter on Aleppo aid mission shot down, all 5 aboard dead

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helicopter crachA Russian Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down by ground fire in Syria following delivery of humanitarian supplies to Aleppo, the Defense Ministry said. Three crew and two officers from Russia’s Reconciliation Center died, according to a Kremlin statement.

“On August 1, an Mi-8 transport helicopter has been shot down by ground fire in Idlib province after a delivery of humanitarian aid to the city of Aleppo. Three crew members and two officers from the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria were on board,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The helicopter was returning to the Russian air base at Khmeimim, the statement added. The ministry has not yet revealed identities of those on board.

The Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria has operated at Khmeimim air base since February. It contributes to peace talks between Syrian government and moderate opposition factions not aligned with IS, Al-Nusra Front or other terrorist groups.

The center also oversees ceasefire agreements between belligerent parties and delivery of humanitarian supplies to various parts of Syria.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed in a statement later in the day that all those on board are dead.

“Those on board the helicopter were killed, as we learned from the Defense Ministry’s report. They died heroically as [the crew] tried to divert the helicopter to minimize casualties on the ground,” Peskov said, adding the Mi-8 had been on a humanitarian mission.

“The Kremlin conveys its deep condolences to the families of those killed in action,” he added.

Shortly after the crash, a number of on-the-spot videos have emerged online, allegedly showing helicopter debris, including a tail rotor and parts of the fuselage. At the moment, RT cannot verify authenticity of those videos.

https://youtu.be/bRNK-o8_oT8

Last week the Syrian government and Russia launched an effort to evacuate civilians wishing to leave Aleppo, establishing safe corridors and providing food, medical assistance and transport for those who chose to use them. Scores of people, mostly women and children, rushed to abandon the battered city, which has been contested by several armed forces.

The Syrian opposition decried the move, claiming it was an attempt to depopulate the city, a part of which remains one of its strongholds.

The Syrian Army has lost several aircraft over the last two months, indicating that militants may have received new anti-aircraft weapons lately, freelance journalist Alaa Ibrahim told RT.

“I’ve heard some local sources where the [Russian] helicopter was downed speaking of the possibility of MANPADs – shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles – being used in that context,” he said.

Portable surface-to-air missiles would be a game changer in the hands of the rebel forces, as they counter the Syrian Army’s air superiority. Providing such weapons would be a risky move for a foreign nation, considering the previous record of unintended weapons transfers.

It is the third Russian helicopter lost in action in Syria this year. In July, an Mi-25 attack chopper was shot down near Palmyra, killing two Russian pilots. The aircraft had been engaging the advancing Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants at the Syrian Army’s request when it was taken down, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

In April, an Mi-28N attack helicopter crashed while performing a flight near the city of Homs, with the Defense Ministry stressing it was not shot down. The crash left both pilots dead, with technical failure cited by Moscow as the likely cause of the accident.

Last October, another Mi-8 helicopter was badly damaged and then destroyed by IS fighters after an emergency landing in the middle of search and rescue operation to extract a surviving co-pilot of a Su-24M bomber jet shot which was down by a Turkish Air Force F-16.

Greek court remands Turkish soldiers

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Turks greece pilotEight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece by helicopter after the failed coup have been handed suspended prison terms for illegal entry. They remain in custody pending asylum hearings, with Ankara demanding extradition.

A court in Greece’s northern city of Alexandroupoli imposed suspended two-month jail terms Thursday on eight military officers who fled Turkey last Saturday in a high-tech Black Hawk helicopter.

The court acknowledged mitigating circumstances of having acted while under threat. The pilot was acquitted of a charge of violating flight regulations.

The eight are to remain in Greek police custody until their applications for asylum are heard in August.

The case has strained ties between Greece and Turkey, two NATO allies, with Ankara demanding the officers’ return. Turkey has already recovered its aircraft.

One of the Turkish officers told the Alexandroupoli court that the group feared “indiscriminate” arrests if handed over to Turkish authorities.

Another said: “I would not have left Turkey had my life not been threatened.”

Faces hidden

Brought to court Thursday, they kept their faces hidden and declined to give their names. On arrival they were identified by rank as two commanders, four captains and two sergeants.

The court hearing preceded a post-coup sitting of the Turkish parliament. President Tayyip Erdogan was expected to ask lawmakers to endorse sweeping new powers to expand a crackdown.

Already, some 10,000 have been arrested. More than 58,000 civil service employees have been dismissed, forced to resign or have had their licenses revoked.

ipj/kl (AP, AFP, dpa)

Turkey: 42 Helicopters Missing in Sparking Concerns of a Second Coup Attempt

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helicopter missingAt least 42 helicopters have gone missing from Turkey’s military inventory in the wake of the failed coup attempt on Friday evening causing concern that there may be another act to the attempted overthrow of Erdogan.

CNN Turk anchor Serdar Tuncer reports that at least 42 helicopters have gone missing from the Turkish military inventory and says concern is brewing that another coup effort may soon be underway.

“It is as though this rogue will try more things. Can they succeed? No! But will they try?” said the reporter.

Unrest continues in Turkey in the wake of Friday’s failed coup attempt that left at least 265 dead and over 2000 people wounded, most of whom were civilians answering the call of President Erdogan to put down the coup attempt.

The Turkish government asserts that it has retained full-control of the government and has begun a “systematic purge of the military.” On Saturday, the government rounded up over 6,000 individuals who will face prosecution under the country’s treason laws with President Erdogan refusing to rule out applying a death sentence to the traitors. The arrested include 2,745 judges and over 2,800 soldiers in the Turkish military including Erdogan’s top military adviser.

The US State Department cautions that the situation in Turkey remains unstable in the wake of the failed coup plot and warns foreign travelers against visiting the country citing an increased terror threat as chaos ensues across the country.

NATO also maintains roughly 90 tactical nuclear weapons at the Incirlik Air Base, from where the 42 helicopters have gone missing, causing concern about the security of US weapons in Turkey and raising the specter that terrorists may ultimately be able to get their hands on advanced weaponry or potentially a nuclear bomb.

Report Kurdish Rebels Down Turkish Military helicopter, one colonel, two majors, 11 soldiers

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breaking-newsA military helicopter carrying top soldiers crashed in the Black Sea province of Giresun on July 5.

The helicopter was carrying Gendarmerie Region Commander Brigadier Mustafa Doğru, one colonel, two majors, 11 soldiers, and Giresun provincial gendarmerie post personnel. They were reportedly heading to Eid al-Fitr celebrations taking place at military posts in the region. 

The helicopter crashed in the Tohumluk highlands of the Alucra district of Giresun in the early evening hours.

The cause of the crash remains unknown. Search and rescue teams have been sent to the scene.

Two Russian Helicopter Pilots Die in Crash in Syria’s Homs

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1037615213(sputniknews) A Russian Aerospace Forces Mi-28N Havoc helicopter crashed near the city of Homs in Syria, killing both pilots, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service reported Tuesday.

“According to a report from the crash site, the helicopter was not shot down, the press service’s statement said.”

The crash occurred at 22:29 GMT on Monday.

“Two crewmembers were killed. The bodies of the dead pilots were removed [from the crash site] during search and rescue operations and are currently at the Hmeymim Airbase.”

According to the ministry, the reasons behind the crash are yet to be determined. A task force has been sent to the site of the incident to investigate the crash.

President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Supreme Commander-in-Chief, has been informed about the crash, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

“Obviously, the commander in chief is notified first of such emergency incidents.”

Russia has been conducting a counterterrorist operation in Syria since September 30. On March 14, President Vladimir Putin ordered to withdraw the main part of the air group from Syria.

On November 24, a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber over Syria. One of the pilots was killed by Islamist rebels after ejecting. A Mi-8 helicopter, which had been sent to conduct a search and rescue mission, was damaged by the rebels’ fire, and a naval infantry officer was killed.

The Mi-28N Night Hunter is a modification of the Mi-28 gunship designed for round-the-clock combat operations. It can find and destroy the enemy’s vehicles and manpower.

Kurdish forces down Turkish helicopter bombing them over Iraqi Kurdistan – reports

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Kurd shutdownReports have emerged that Kurds have shot down a helicopter over Iraqi Kurdistan, which they say was used in airstrikes against them. Turkish officials have made no comment, but a source confirmed to RT that the incident took place.

Previously Ankara acknowledged conducting airstrikes on alleged PKK targets in Iraq. Turkish military is also targeting Kurds inside the country and shelling Kurdish militias in northern Syria.

One sortie apparently went wrong for a Turkish assault helicopter as Iraqi Kurdish militia claim they shot the aircraft down.

Kani Xulam, from the American Kurdish Information Network, told RT that official Ankara would refrain from reporting any losses in operations against the Kurds, striving to portray the Turkish military as “an invincible power that cannot be beaten.”

The Turkish authorities are aiming to make the Kurds submit to them and “come down on their knees,” he said.

Xulam said “scores of Turkish soldiers” were taken prisoner by the Kurds with the Turkish government never acknowledging such facts.

In the case of the allegedly downed helicopter, there is no reference about the incident in Turkish media, yet the story is now emerging in Kurdish media, Xulam said.

No Turkish military losses ever make it into national mainstream media, Middle East political analyst Shwan Zulal told RT.

The Kurdish PKK militia, which may be responsible for the alleged downing of the Turkish helicopter, traditionally remains idle during the harsh winter months. However, it will be active from the beginning of spring, which explains why Turkey has recently been shelling Kurdish positions in the mountains, Zulal said.

With the military operation against the Kurds ongoing in Turkey for months now, the violence is likely to escalate further, Zulal predicted.

The Turkish military has been operating against Kurdish PKK militia in northern Iraq since the early 1990s.

In September 2015, the Turkish parliament prolonged a mandate allowing the deployment of its military in neighboring Syria and Iraq to fight Kurdish militants.

Early last December, Ankara started carrying out airstrikes targeting Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) forces in northern Iraq.

Tensions have recently spiked between Ankara and Baghdad after Turkey deployed more than 100 troops equipped with tanks and artillery to Iraq’s northern Nineveh governorate, saying they will train forces battling Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).