Turkey searches Armenian plane with humanitarian aid

Turkey ordered an Armenian plane flying to the Syrian city of Aleppo to land on Monday and authorities were searching its cargo, as Ankara steps up efforts to prevent its air space being used to supply the Syrian military.

Turkey had previously been informed the plane, which was forced to land in the eastern Turkish city of Erzurum, would be carrying humanitarian aid and Armenian officials knew it would be searched, an official from the Turkish prime minister's office said.

The plane would be allowed to continue on its journey if nothing else was found, a Turkish foreign ministry official said.

Adapted from Worldbulletin