Turkish aircraft fire has brought down a Russian Su-24 near the Turkish-Syrian border on November 24. It has generated a war of words between Russia and Turkey, which has been backed up by other NATO members including the US. The latest incident merely highlights why it is crucial for all parties engaged in defeating the Islamic State (IS) to cooperate with one another when conducting air strikes. 

Russia's decision to suspend military cooperation should be reconsidered while Turkey should also address the issue in a manner that would help quick de-escalation. Any tiff between Russia and NATO will only aid the IS and transform the Syrian conflict into a proxy war between Russia and the West. We must not lose sight of the bigger picture here. All foreign powers engaged militarily in Syria are there for one single purpose, i.e. the defeat of IS. It would be disastrous if the goal that has united the civilised world against the new menace that IS poses falls apart in a test of egos over an unfortunate incident that occurred in the first place because of lack of communication and cooperation.

We are glad to learn that US President Barack Obama and Turkish President Erdogan have talked with each other on the necessity to de-escalate a potentially explosive situation. It is essential that Russia and Turkey work out their differences in the interest of the Syrian people who have suffered terribly in this long, protracted conflict. The world does not want to see the incident escalate into a confrontation between Russia and NATO.