U.S. Embassy officials in Ankara say two U.S. warplanes accidentally violated Turkish airspace last week near the Iraq border.
U.S. and Turkish officials said they are investigating the incident. The Turkish military said on its Web site that two F-16s briefly crossed into Turkish airspace on May 24. Officials said the incursion lasted about four minutes.
The incursion happened in an area of southeast Turkey near where thousands of Turkish troops are reported to be gathering.
The airspace violation comes as speculation grows over whether Turkish troops will launch a cross-border operation against Kurdish militants in Iraq. Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said no plans were underway for such a raid.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
Turkey
Hakkari province
F-16 Fighting Falcon

Two US Air Force F-16's have violated Turkish airspace for four minutes over Hakkari province on 14 May 2007. The F-16's had reportedly taken off from Afghanistan.

The air violation comes at the same time Turkish Armed Forces conducting a search and destroy operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) making preparations for a possible military operation in north of Iraq. Turkey, NATO, and European Union considers PKK to be a terrorist organization.

Turkey had stepped up the pressure on Iraq and the United States to eliminate PKK presence in northern Iraq since the suicide attack at Ankara on May 22, 2007 which killed 6 people wounded 79.

The US Embassy in Ankara stated that: "The interpretation that this was a message to the Republic of Turkey was most certainly not true. This incident is strictly two US pilots confusing the border. The investigation is being conducted by the US Air Force."

Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on a program  on the Turkish channel NTV stated that "if there is another airspace violation what needs to be done is clear". In military literature this translates to "unidentified military craft will be shot down" according to the Hürriyet.