2011 Syrian Civil War

MiG-23 in the 2011 Syrian Civil War

Syrian Arab Air Force MiG-23s were part of the government's fixed-wing strike force in the Syrian Civil War, with one MiG-23 shot down by Turkish F-16s near the Latakia-Kasab border area on 23 March 2014.

Weapon profileMiG-23
SideSyrian government and alliesRoleFire SupportInterdiction
MiG-23, Variable-sweep fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - 2011 Syrian Civil War
Image source: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MS Flogger-E

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Syrian government forces operated MiG-23s as part of the Syrian Air Force fixed-wing strike force in the civil war.

Sources: Syrian Air Force Operations

A Syrian MiG-23 was shot down by Turkish F-16s near the Latakia/Kasab border area on 23 March 2014.

Sources: BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Daily Sabah Turkish Armed Forces Alert, Time Turkish Military Shoots Down Syrian Jet, Air & Space Forces Turkish Fighters Shoot Down Syrian MiG-23

The March 2014 incident occurred during fighting around the border crossing, and Syrian or monitoring accounts described the aircraft as attacking rebels in Syrian territory.

Sources: BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, Air & Space Forces Turkish Fighters Shoot Down Syrian MiG-23

Turkey attributed the engagement to warnings and an airspace violation; Syria disputed that framing.

Sources: Turkey MFA Syrian Warplane Press Release, BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet

Timeline

MiG-23 In 2011 Syrian Civil War

  1. Turkish F-16s shoot down Syrian MiG-23 near Kasab

    Turkish officials said a Syrian aircraft violated Turkish airspace after warnings; media reporting identified the aircraft as a Syrian MiG-23 and placed the crash near Kasab/Kesab in Syrian territory during fighting around the border crossing.

    Sources: Turkey MFA Syrian Warplane Press Release, BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, Daily Sabah Turkish Armed Forces Alert, Time Turkish Military Shoots Down Syrian Jet, Air & Space Forces Turkish Fighters Shoot Down Syrian MiG-23

  2. Analysis identifies MiG-23s among Syrian strike aircraft

    Washington Institute analysis listed MiG-23s among the Syrian Arab Air Force fixed-wing combat aircraft principally used for strike missions in the war and described strike, interdiction, and close-air-support roles.

    Sources: Syrian Air Force Operations

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Syrian Arab Air Force MiG-23s were documented in combat operations during the Syrian Civil War. A Washington Institute assessment of Syrian Air Force operations listed MiG-23s among the fixed-wing combat aircraft principally used for strike missions in the war, alongside L-39s, MiG-21s, MiG-29s, Su-22s, and Su-24s.

The clearest dated incident occurred on 23 March 2014 near the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey said two Syrian regime fighter aircraft approached its border, one turned back after warnings, and the other violated Turkish airspace before Turkish aircraft engaged it. Reporting by BBC, Al Jazeera, Daily Sabah, Time, and Air & Space Forces Magazine identified the aircraft or Syrian MiGs involved as MiG-23s or MiG fighters and placed the crash near Kasab/Kesab in Syrian territory.

Sources: Syrian Air Force Operations, Turkey MFA Syrian Warplane Press Release, BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, Daily Sabah Turkish Armed Forces Alert, Time Turkish Military Shoots Down Syrian Jet, Air & Space Forces Turkish Fighters Shoot Down Syrian MiG-23

Timeline

By December 2014, open-source analysis described the Syrian Arab Air Force as a central part of the government's campaign, with MiG-23s included in the fixed-wing types used for strike missions. The same analysis described Syrian air operations as including attacks on rebel forces, interdiction of movement, and close air support for ground forces.

The March 2014 shootdown provides the most specific MiG-23 milestone. Turkish and media accounts agree that Turkish F-16s engaged a Syrian aircraft near the Latakia/Hatay border during fighting around the Kasab crossing; Syrian accounts disputed the airspace violation and said the aircraft had been attacking rebels over Syrian territory.

Sources: Syrian Air Force Operations, Turkey MFA Syrian Warplane Press Release, BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, Air & Space Forces Turkish Fighters Shoot Down Syrian MiG-23

Narrative

In the Syrian Civil War, the MiG-23 appeared as an aging but still active government-side fighter-bomber rather than as a modern air-superiority platform. The Syrian Air Force used fixed-wing combat aircraft to support regime ground operations, attack rebel military targets, strike movement and logistics, and conduct close air-support missions. MiG-23s were part of that fixed-wing strike inventory.

The 23 March 2014 incident shows how MiG-23 operations intersected with the war's border fighting. Al Jazeera reported that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the aircraft had been striking areas in Latakia as rebels tried to control a border post. BBC reporting similarly quoted a Syrian military source saying the jet was attacking rebels, while Turkish statements said repeated warnings preceded the engagement after an airspace violation. The aircraft fell on the Syrian side of the border, and reports said the pilot ejected.

Sources: Syrian Air Force Operations, BBC Turkey Downs Syria Military Jet, Al Jazeera Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Fighter Jet, Turkey MFA Syrian Warplane Press Release, Time Turkish Military Shoots Down Syrian Jet

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Sources