Syria Russian warplane shot down in north-west Syria Russia says pilot died after Su-25 jet brought down near rebel-held town of Saraqeb in Idlib province Rebel fighters shot down a Russian plane over Syria’s north-west Idlib province and killed its pilot. Photograph: Omar Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty ImagesSyrian rebels have shot down a Russian warplane and killed its pilot in the north-west of the country during fierce fighting with the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and his foreign backers. Syrian Kurds outraged over mutilation of female fighter Read moreThe Russian defence ministry confirmed the Su-25 was shot down and said the pilot was killed fighting “terrorists”. Opposition groups have in the past shot down Syrian planes, and in August 2016 rebel groups in Idlib shot down a Russian helicopter, killing five Russian soldiers who were on board. At least seven Russian planes were also destroyed by rebel shelling at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria on 31 December, Russian media reported.

Source: The Guardian February 03, 2018 16:22 UTC