Russia fighter plane shot down by Syrian rebels in Sarqeb, pilot reported dead
Syrian opposition activists claim rebels have shot down a warplane in the country's northwest where Government forces and their allies are advancing with the help of intense airstrikes. A Syrian monitoring group and a Syrian militant say the pilot was killed when he resisted capture by opening fire from his pistol. The Russian media quoted an official source confirming that an SU-25 has been shot down. It is the first SU-25 to have been shot down for two years. There are reports that the pilot survived and other that he was burned alive. A video is circulating on social media of a dead man with a bloodied face as bearded gunmen stand around him, one of them shouts: “He is Russian.”
GETTY Syrian opposition activists claim rebels have show down a warplane
But the authenticity of the video could not be independently verified, but it corresponds to events reported. The Su-25 is an £7.7million close air support jet designed to support ground troops and was heavily involved in the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Reports say a Turkish team tried to recover the downed Russian pilot but FSA jihadists executed before they could reach the downed plane. The opposition's Aleppo Media Centre says it was a Russian SU25 but did not say whether it was Russian. There is no immediate word from Moscow to confirm the downing of the plane or the killing of the pilot. Pro-opposition outlet claims the aircraft was shot down using a Russian made Igla anti-aircraft missile. UK based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the plane was downed on Saturday afternoon near the rebel-held town of Sreqeb. Syrian troops have been trying to reach this region under cover of Russian airstrikes.
Since the jet was downed there are reports that Russia fired cruise missiles towards the Idlib province. The multiple projectiles are reported to have been fired from both the Mediterranean Sea and Kheimim. In August 2016 a Russian military helicopter was shot down and all five people on board were killed.
GETTY Pro-opposition outlet claims the aircraft was shot down using an Igla anti-aircraft missile
Pro-opposition outlet claims the aircraft was shot down using an Igla anti-aircraft missile #Syria — Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) 3 February 2018
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Two weeks ago, Turkish forces invaded the country as part of its “Operation Olive Branch” to take out, what they claim to be terrorists on its border. It comes after reports that Russian warplanes hit a convoy of civilians fleeing along a major Syrian highway, according to rescuers and a witness. Rescuers said at least seven civilians were pulled out of the wreckage of cars after the air strikes on Friday. Civil defence worker from Saraqeb Ammar al Adnan said: "We believe two Russian planes struck the convoy of civilians on the highway and left at least seven killed and twelve injured, mostly elderly and children."
TWITTER The footage shows the flaming wreckage of what appears to be a Russian jet
GETTY Reports say a Turkish team tried to recover the downed Russian pilot
Activists' videos on social media showed rescuers extinguishing fires on the route, used by thousands of villagers fleeing areas south of Aleppo now overrun by the Syrian army and its allies. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the footage. Russia's defence ministry regularly says it is attacking hardline Islamist militants. It denies opposition and witness accounts that its planes target civilians, marketplaces, medical centres and residential areas away from front lines.
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