Eye witnesses confirm that the F-16 was downed
Eye witness accounts confirm that the F-16 jet fighter in Amed was downed by the HPG. One of the eye witnesses say there were 2 pilots in the aircraft and they were held at gunpoint.
The F-16 fighter jet that left the Diyarbakır 2nd Tactical Air Force Command 8th Main Jet Base on December 12 was downed while descending after completing its mission at approximately 19:30 and crashed in the land between Çarıklı and Yeşildere villages in Sur district. First announcements were that the plane was downed, then the TAF made an announcement that the F-16 crashed, the pilot was alive and an inquiry on the incident had been launched.
But the People’s Protection Central Headquarters Command (HPG) announcement yesterday stated that the F-16 aircraft was downed by one of their units “with special techniques”.
Debris clearing still continues in the area. The people in nearby villages confirm HPG’s version of the incident. The area has been blockaded for 3 days and entry and exit have been banned. Some parts of the aircraft’s wings are still seen on the ground.
“WE FIRST HEARD GUNSHOTS”
A woman from Yeşildere village who wishes to remain anonymous shared some significant information. The witness said she was out on the balcony putting laundry away and continued: “Right before the plane crashed, there was intense gunfire. The plane was flying low. Then the tail suddenly caught fire. It broke in half in mid air. With a great bang, it crashed just 200 meters away from our home. The houses were shaking.”
“PILOT WAS TERRIFIED, HE PULLED A GUN ON US”
Another villager said: “There was intense gunfire. Then we heard an explosion. We went outside. One man and one woman, 2 pilots ejected from the plane to save themselves. The female pilot fell near Çarıklı village. She was saved by the villagers there. The male pilot fell into the grove near our village. We went there, he pulled a gun on us and told us not to come closer. He said he informed the police. He said ‘Don’t come near me until the police comes’. He was terrified and panicking.”
“THE VILLAGE IS BLOCKADED”
Another witness said that 15 minutes after the plane crashed, some 70 armored vehicles and hundreds of police and soldiers came to the village and continued: “The village was surrounded. They also blockaded the area of the crash. The helicopter flew around the village and surroundings until the morning. For the first 3 days, they held the entrances and exits of the village. That night they searched until the morning. They are still picking up debris.”
