The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has stepped in to support member nation Turkey, which is currently caught in between the Syrian conflict and Russian actions, calling on Russia to stop its raids and strikes aganst ISIS militants in Syria.

In an official statement, NATO explicitly called for Russia to “take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not take place in the future”. A warning urging Russia to “cease and desist” because of the “extreme danger of such irresponsible behavior” was also mentioned.

The air violation happened on Saturday where Turkish F-16s were left scrambled after a Russian plane, which did not initially identify itself, entered the Turkish perimeter. It was also reported that Turkish forces were “harassed” by an unidentified plane on the same day. Turkish air force managed to intercept the Russian jets, and Russia later admitted that there was indeed a violation “for a few seconds” in Turkish airspace because of poor weather conditions.

The U.S. has voiced its concern regarding the incident, with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry saying Turkey had the right to shoot the jets down. Kerry added that Russia has a responsibility to act within international standards.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg further called on to Russia to “fully respect NATO airspace to avoid escalating tension”. The Kremlin responded by voicing hope that the incident would not damage its ties with Turkey.

The violation on Saturday happened in Yayladagi in the southern Hatay region. Russia has expressed its support for the Syrian government and announced on Sep. 30 that it will further intensify its support through strikes and raids against ISIS militants in the country. Russia has started attacking Hama, Homs, Idlib and Latakia provinces, all of which house ISIS facilities.

The means to support the Al-Assad government has sparked various reactions and criticisms from different countries as Russian military forces are accused of targeting U.S.-led allies and government opponents.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.