American detained for flying drone in no-fly zone of southeastern Turkey

DİYARBAKIR – Anadolu Agency

An American citizen flying a drone over the “no-fly zone” in the Sur district of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır was detained by the police on late Oct. 4.

“My only intention was to take videos of the historical city walls. I did not know that it was forbidden to do so,” said Mark John Xenakes from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania in his testimony to the police.

According to the police sources, the suspect has made various trips in a short time. He was lately in Somalia, then went to North Cyprus via Germany.

“He entered the country on Sept. 21 from the southern province of Mersin. Then with a rented car, he traveled to the southeastern and eastern provinces of Gaziantep, Diyarbakır and Elazığ,” added the sources.

The American suspect has reportedly worked for a helicopter company affiliated with the U.S. Army for 14 years, made constructions for the U.S. Secretary of State in Africa for years and helped the African Union fight the extremist group Al-Shabaab.

An investigation into the drone incident is ongoing.