Turkmen forces kill Russian pilots in Syria

   YAMADI, Syria (Reuters/AFP) --- Turkmen forces in Syria shot dead the two pilots of a Russian jet downed by Turkish warplanes near the border with Turkey on Tuesday as they descended with parachutes, a deputy commander of a Turkmen brigade told reporters.

   "Both of the pilots were retrieved dead. Our comrades opened fire into the air and they died in the air," Alpaslan Celik, a deputy commander in a Syrian Turkmen brigade said near the Syrian village of Yamadi as he held what he said was a piece of a pilot's parachute.

   "The plane violated Turkish air space 10 times in five minutes despite warnings," the army said in a statement, adding it was shot down at 0724 GMT "according to the rules of engagement".

   The Turkish army said the downing took place over the Yayladagi district of Turkey's Hatay province on the border with Syria.  The downed plane hit a mountainside 2.5 miles (4 km) inside Syria.

   Russia summoned the Turkish military attache in Moscow while Ankara summoned Moscow's charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry.

   "Everyone must know that it is our international right and national duty to take any measure against whoever violates our air or land borders," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

   Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cancelled his visit to the country, originally scheduled for Wednesday in a bid to smooth ties and find a joint approach to finding peace in Syria.