One day after a Syrian pilot defected to Jordan in a MiG-21 fighter jet, Syrian air defence force said they have shot down a Turkish warplane flying into Syrian airspace.

Relations between Nato-member Turkey and Syria, once close allies, have deteriorated sharply since the uprising against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

Turkish president Abdullah Gul said the shooting down of the Turkish fighter could not be ignored.