Russian aviation safety watchdog Rosaviatsia formally banned commercial flights over Syria on Tuesday.

"On Feb. 28, Rosaviatsia recommended the airlines not to use Syrian airspace. A number of airlines seriously concerned with their passengers safety ceased to use that country's airspace," the watchdog's website said.

Meanwhile, some other airlines did not comply with the recommendation and kept operating in the airspace of the country where warfare had been underway, it added.

The ban came in force immediately and will be in force until further notice. "Commercial interests could not prevail over the passengers safety," the website said.

On Monday, a Russian passenger plane was reportedly targeted by ground-to-air missiles while flying from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh to Russia's Kazan over Syria. The unidentified forces launched two missiles which exploded close to the aircraft belonging to a small Russian charter air carrier.

"The crew has recorded military activities on the ground that could have endangered the plane and 159 passengers," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Endi

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