Syria denies Turkey's claims of ammunition aboard Syrian flight

DAMASCUS, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Foreign Ministry on Thursday refuted as "absolutely untrue" the allegations made by Turkish officials that the Syrian plane grounded a day earlier in Turkey was carrying ammunition.

Jihad Makdissi, a Syrian foreign ministry spokesman, said in a brief statement that the Turkish officials' allegations are " absolutely untrue," stressing that the plane was not carrying any ammunition or illegal cargo.

Turkish authorities ordered the Syrian passenger plane, travelling from Moscow to Damascus, to land late Wednesday over intelligence of "non-civilian cargo."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that the Syrian passenger plane was carrying Russian-made munitions destined for Syria's defense ministry.

With debates surrounding the intercepted Syrian plane in full swing, Erdogan said the plane was forced to land because a civilian plane cannot carry materials used in the defense industry.

The recent incident cast oil to the fire between the two countries after their relation hit a new low last week following mutual cross-border firing. Enditem