Latakia, Syria

Syrians kill Russians: Syria accidentally shot down a Russian military surveillance plane this week, killing all 15 people on board. The Syrians had mobilized their air defense against Israeli jets, which were conducting a raid on what Israel said was an Iranian weapons depot on the Syrian coast. Moscow initially blamed Israel for the deadly mishap, accusing Israeli F-16s of hiding behind the Russian Il-20, turning the larger plane into a target for Syrian missiles. But after speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin said “a chain of tragic accidental circumstances,” not just Israel, was responsible for the downing. The incident has revived fears that a military error could trigger a wider conflict, because the U.S., Turkey, Russia, and Iran all have forces present in Syria.