Syria says bans Turkish civilian flights over its territory

Syria said on Saturday that it was banning Turkish civilian flights over its territory, just a few days after Turkey intercepted a Syrian airliner carrying what it said were Russian-made munitions for the Syrian army.

A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement carried by the state news agency SANA said the ban will take effect at midnight on Saturday. It said the move was in retaliation for a similar Turkish ban on Syrian flights. (Reuters)