CLOSE

A picture taken on Feb. 3, 2018, shows smoke billowing from the site of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in the the Syrian city of Saraqib, southwest of Aleppo. (Photo: Omar Haj Kadour, AFP/Getty Images)

Russian cruise-missile attacks killed more than two dozen Syrian rebels Saturday in northwest Syria after the pilot of a downed Russian fighter jet, who had parachuted to safety, was killed on the ground, according to Russian and Western media reports.

Russia's Interfax news agency quotes the Russian defense ministry as saying radio intelligence determined that more than 30 Al-Nusra fighters were killed in strikes by "precision-guided weapons."

The Russian military has been attacking rebels with Kalibr precision-guided cruise missiles fired by frigates and submarines attached to its Navy's task force in the Mediterranean, according to Interfax.

The latest incident comes as Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air support and Iranian arms, have intensified their offensive into Idlib. The northwest province is one of the last rebel-held bastions in Syria. It is also host to several Islamist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda.

The ministry said its Su-25 jet crashed after apparently being shot down by a hand-carried, ground-to-air missile. The pilot ejected safely, but was killed by militants on the ground, the ministry said, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has extensive contacts inside Syria, also said the pilot was killed after landing alive.

A Syrian militant in the area told The Associated Press that the Russian pilot was shot and killed when he resisted capture by opening fire with a pistol on the militants who tried to capture him. The militant refused to be identified by his real name because was not authorized to speak to the media.

A video circulating on social media shows a dead man with a bloodied face as bearded gunmen stood around him. One of them shouts: “He is Russian.”

The authenticity of the video could not be independently confirmed but it corresponds to events reported by the AP.

No group immediately claimed responsibility.

There have been dozens of Russian airstrikes in the area of Idlib province over the past 24 hours," according to Rami Abdel Rahman, who runs the monitoring group. "This plane was also carrying out raids there."

The Syrian regime launched its offensive against Idlib from the south and east in December last year.

Last month the Syrian army retook the strategic Abu Dhuhur airbase from insurgents in Idlib.

According to Jan Egeland, who heads the United Nations' task force on humanitarian aid for Syria, almost a quarter of a million people have been displaced into or from Idlib since the latest onslaught began less than two months ago.

Contributing: Associated Press

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2GKOeV0</s>MOSCOW — A Russian fighter jet was shot down in a rebel-controlled area of Idlib Province in northern Syria on Saturday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said, adding that the pilot survived the initial attack by parachuting from the plane but was killed by members of a militia on the ground.

The downing of the jet occurred in one of the country’s so-called de-escalation zones established last year by Russia, Iran and Turkey, in an attempt to lessen the bloodshed in Syria’s long civil war.

The Russian Su-25 warplane was patrolling the Idlib area when it was struck by a missile, launched from an area controlled by rebels, the ministry said in a statement. The pilot has yet to be identified.

The rebel-held area where the plane was shot down, in the northwest of Idlib Province, is controlled by several different rebel factions, including the Free Syria Army, Islamist groups and Tahrir al-Sham, an Al Qaeda-affiliated alliance.

Videos taken at the scenes of the crash and released by local activists showed flames billowing from the crumpled debris of a plane, clearly identifiable as an Su-25, and showed the red star symbol used by the Russian Air Force.

Moaz al-Shami, a media activist who lives in Idlib Province and who regularly posts video footage from the area, appears in one of the videos and describes the fighters who downed the plane as “heroes,” avenging civilians killed in airstrikes by Russian jets.

Since President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia first ordered his forces to Syria, Russia has lost four warplanes, four helicopters and about 50 servicemen in the conflict.

In a later statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that it used high-precision weapons to kill more than 30 rebel forces in the area where the attack on the Russian aircraft was launched. Russian authorities, along with Turkish forces who are responsible for the de-escalation zone, are working to retrieve the pilot’s body.

In December, Mr. Putin ordered the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria, declaring their mission completed. However, some Russian warplanes have stayed at the Hmeimim air base, which became Russia’s permanent air force facility in Syria.

In Moscow, Russian lawmakers promised a thorough investigation of the crash.

“Politically, this is very important and will have far-reaching consequences,” Franz Klintsevich, a member of the Russian Federation Council told Interfax, a Russian news agency.

Others blamed the United States for supplying Syrian rebels with weapons capable of shooting down the warplane.

“We have warned that the Americans will deliver such equipment, and they cannot control it later,” Aleksei Chepa, a member of the State Duma, told Interfax, adding that concerns had been expressed before that the weapons could bring down military and civilian planes.</s>A Russian Su-25 warplane was shot down over Syria’s Idlib province in northwestern Syria on Saturday. The pilot safely ejected from his plane, but he was killed by militants on the ground. This report, corroborated by the Russian Defense Ministry and RIA Novosti specifies events this way (translated and edited from Russian):

Over the area controlled by the terrorist group Jebhat an Nusra in the province of Idlib, the launch of a MANPADS missile against a Russian Su-25 was carried out. In response to this incident, a strike accomplished with precision weapons against a group of more than 30 rebels affiliated with the group Djebhat Al-Nusra. On Saturday evening, militants with the help of MANPADS shot down the Russian Air Force attack aircraft. The pilot of the plane managed to eject, but died in battle with terrorists.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, together with representatives of Turkey responsible for the de-escalation zone of Idlib, is taking measures to return the body of the Russian pilot. Kurdish self-defense forces Afrina (KSS) expressed condolences in connection with the death of the pilot. ‘I think everyone understands who supports those terrorist groups.The groups in Idlib are besieged and can be supported only from Turkey,’ KSS spokesman Reisan Hedu said.

According to him, the death of the pilot ‘in the hands of the same terrorists’ who are guilty of the death of Kurdish soldiers. ‘We lit candles in memory of the Russian pilot, just as we light candles in memory of the dead Kurds,’ he added. At the same time, according to the deputy chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Yury Shvytkin, the incident with the shot down Su-25 ’causes an unconditional need for an investigation.’ He explained that until today there was no case when the terrorists used MANPADS. Shvytkin suggested that the anti-aircraft missile system terrorists received from representatives of the West.

The Al-Nusra Front is known to be operating in this region, under the alias of the Free Syrian Army. The technologically advanced use of MANPADS raises questions about the USA’s history of supplying weapons to Al-Nusra, treating them as a “nice” Al-Qaeda group worthy of at least covert support.

The Russians did not sit by without a response. In quick response a precision strike took place, believed to have killed some 30 terrorists, those believed responsible for the downing of the Su-25 and the killing of its pilot.

The story on this incident is still developing, but it could represent a significant escalation towards greater confrontation between US-supported forces and Russian forces in the region.

It is a very complicated situation with many groups fighting Syria’s legitimate government under Bashir al-Assad, the Kurds, the Turkish, ISIS, each other… the lines go in so many directions it is hard to track, and for this, a lot of blame rests with the United States for trying to use enemy forces as allies for the sake of expedience.

We will follow this story closely to see if the same sort of thing has happened here.

Donate to The Duran Every Dollar, Pound and Euro you send us helps our publication stay active, reach more people and to continue to shed light on the social-political issues of our time. Will you help expose the lies of the mainstream media? As a reader of The Duran, you are well aware of all the propaganda and disinformation reported by the mainstream media. You know how important it is to bring real news to light. Please support The Duran and help us keep reporting on news that is fair, balanced, and real.</s>Syria: According to the information given by an official, in an incident that took place in Syria yesterday, where at least 30 militants lost their life when a Russian fighter jet was shot down.

While explaining the incident to the media, Russia’s Defense Ministry went on to say: “A series of high-precision weapon strikes have been delivered in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which brought down the Russian Su-25 jet by using a portable anti-aircraft missile system in the Syrian province Idlib.”

Read:- Pak is the center of Taliban terrorism, says Ashraf Ghani

“According to radio intercepts, more than 30 Jabhat al-Nusra militants were killed,” Media quoted the ministry as saying. Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said a pilot survived the fighter jet crash but was later killed in a ground fight with terrorists.

The pilot had reported earlier that he ejected by parachute in the area, controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra militants.

In May 2017, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire — Russia, Iran and Turkey — agreed to set up the Syrian de-escalation zones in Syria, which includes Idlib province.</s>The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the country’s air forces conducted a high-precision group strike of the area controlled by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham militants in Idlib, from where a projectile was fired downing Russian Su-25 aircraft.

“A group strike using precision weapons has been conducted in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra [Jabhat Fatah al-Sham] terrorist group in Idlib province, from where the missile was launched against the [downed] Russian Su-25 airplane. According to radio intercepts, as a result of the strike, more than 30 militants of Jabhat al-Nusra were destroyed,” the report by the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“The plane was flying over the Idlib de-escalation zone,” the military stated.

The Defense Ministry revealed that according to preliminary information as to the possible cause of the downing, the plane may have been shot down by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD).

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the pilot managed to eject from the aircraft and survive, but was killed during a subsequent battle with terrorists.

“The pilot reported on a bailout in an area controlled by rebels Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [previously known as al-Nusra Front]. When conducting a fight with terrorists, the pilot died,” the Defense Ministry said.

According to the ministry, Russia and Turkey, peace guarantor in Syria’s Idlib de-escalation zone, are taking all possible efforts to return the body of the killed pilot.

During the two-years long military operation in Syria, Russia lost four aircraft and four helicopters. According to Russian Defense Minister Yury Borisov, the country’s air forces used modernized Su-25SM ground attack aircraft are being used in Syria.

The Su-25 attack aircraft is designed to destroy small-size mobile and fixed ground objects, as well as low-speed air targets.

The conflict took place on the territory controlled by the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham terror group amid the ongoing military operation against them conducted by the Syrian forces.

Among various terror groups operating in the area, there is also Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an umbrella terrorist group spearheaded this year by the former Al-Nusra Front. While some countries such as the United States have flagged HTS as a terrorist group, Russian officials continue to refer to the Salafist jihadist terrorist organization by its old Al-Nusra moniker. Al-Nusra was the official Syrian branch of al-Qaeda until 2016, when it ostensibly split from the world’s most well-known terrorist network.</s>Moscow: In a retaliatory move, massive Russian air strikes have killed at least 30 militants in Syria, where a Russian fighter jet was shot down, an official said on Sunday.

“A series of high-precision weapon strikes have been delivered in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which brought down the Russian Su-25 jet by using a portable anti-aircraft missile system in the Syrian province Idlib,” Russia’s Defence Ministry said.

“According to radio intercepts, more than 30 Jabhat al-Nusra militants were killed,” Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.

Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said a pilot survived the fighter jet crash but was later killed in a ground fight with terrorists.

The pilot had reported earlier that he ejected by parachute in the area, controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra militants.

In May 2017, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire — Russia, Iran and Turkey — agreed to set up the Syrian de-escalation zones in Syria, which includes Idlib province.</s>MOSCOW: In a retaliatory move, massive Russian air strikes have killed at least 30 militants in Syria, where a Russian fighter jet was shot down, an official said on Sunday.

"A series of high-precision weapon strikes have been delivered in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which brought down the Russian Su-25 jet by using a portable anti-aircraft missile system in the Syrian province Idlib," Russia's Defense Ministry said.

"According to radio intercepts, more than 30 Jabhat al-Nusra militants were killed," Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.

Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said a pilot survived the fighter jet crash but was later killed in a ground fight with terrorists.

The pilot had reported earlier that he ejected by parachute in the area, controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra militants.

In May 2017, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire -- Russia, Iran and Turkey -- agreed to set up the Syrian de-escalation zones in Syria, which includes Idlib province.</s>A Russian Su-25 warplane was shot down over Syria’s Idlib province in northwestern Syria on Saturday. The pilot safely ejected from his plane, but he was killed by militants on the ground. This report, corroborated by the Russian Defense Ministry and RIA Novosti specifies events this way (translated and edited from Russian):

Over the area controlled by the terrorist group Jebhat an Nusra in the province of Idlib, the launch of a MANPADS missile against a Russian Su-25 was carried out. In response to this incident, a strike accomplished with precision weapons against a group of more than 30 rebels affiliated with the group Djebhat Al-Nusra. On Saturday evening, militants with the help of MANPADS shot down the Russian Air Force attack aircraft. The pilot of the plane managed to eject, but died in battle with terrorists.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, together with representatives of Turkey responsible for the de-escalation zone of Idlib, is taking measures to return the body of the Russian pilot. Kurdish self-defense forces Afrina (KSS) expressed condolences in connection with the death of the pilot. ‘I think everyone understands who supports those terrorist groups.The groups in Idlib are besieged and can be supported only from Turkey,’ KSS spokesman Reisan Hedu said.

According to him, the death of the pilot ‘in the hands of the same terrorists’ who are guilty of the death of Kurdish soldiers. ‘We lit candles in memory of the Russian pilot, just as we light candles in memory of the dead Kurds,’ he added. At the same time, according to the deputy chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Yury Shvytkin, the incident with the shot down Su-25 ’causes an unconditional need for an investigation.’ He explained that until today there was no case when the terrorists used MANPADS. Shvytkin suggested that the anti-aircraft missile system terrorists received from representatives of the West.

The Al-Nusra Front is known to be operating in this region, under the alias of the Free Syrian Army. The technologically advanced use of MANPADS raises questions about the USA’s history of supplying weapons to Al-Nusra, treating them as a “nice” Al-Qaeda group worthy of at least covert support.

The Russians did not sit by without a response. In quick response a precision strike took place, believed to have killed some 30 terrorists, those believed responsible for the downing of the Su-25 and the killing of its pilot.

The story on this incident is still developing, but it could represent a significant escalation towards greater confrontation between US-supported forces and Russian forces in the region.

It is a very complicated situation with many groups fighting Syria’s legitimate government under Bashir al-Assad, the Kurds, the Turkish, ISIS, each other… the lines go in so many directions it is hard to track, and for this, a lot of blame rests with the United States for trying to use enemy forces as allies for the sake of expedience.

We will follow this story closely to see if the same sort of thing has happened here.

Donate to The Duran Every Dollar, Pound and Euro you send us helps our publication stay active, reach more people and to continue to shed light on the social-political issues of our time. Will you help expose the lies of the mainstream media? As a reader of The Duran, you are well aware of all the propaganda and disinformation reported by the mainstream media. You know how important it is to bring real news to light. Please support The Duran and help us keep reporting on news that is fair, balanced, and real.</s>Russian lawmakers have called for a thorough investigation on the origins of the man-portable missile launcher that was likely used by militants in Syria to shoot down a Russian fighter jet before killing the pilot in a firefight.Frants Klintsevich, First Deputy chair of Russia's Federal Council Defense Committee, told Interfax.As far as military losses go,Klintsevich said. Other lawmakers are concerned about how the militants could have acquired the anti-aircraft weapon.MP Dmitry Sablin, coordinator of the Russia-Syria parliamentary friendship group, told Interfax.he added.Deputy Head of the State Duma Defense Committee, Yury Shvytkin, told RIA he is inclined to believe thatA Pentagon spokesperson, interviewed by TASS, has already denied the US sent anti-aircraft weapons to Syria.However, it envisages careful vetting of the recipients and extensive paperwork, and the Pentagon has previously said that no such deliveries have actually been made.In mid-January, a report by the Syrian online outlet Al-Masdar claimed Kurdish forces operating in Syria had received a shipment of MANPADS from the US in an "independent secret deal." The report cited unnamed "opposition sources."</s>Russian lawmakers have called for a thorough investigation on the origins of the man-portable missile launcher that was likely used by militants in Syria to shoot down a Russian fighter jet before killing the pilot in a firefight.

"Certainly, we will investigate, including a great many things: from the type of the MANPADS [man-portable air defense system] to the circumstances of the Su-25 downing," Frants Klintsevich, First Deputy chair of Russia's Federal Council Defense Committee, told Interfax.

He hopes that evidence will be available due to the "abundance of UAVs and space surveillance in the area."

As far as military losses go, "the loss of one aircraft is nothing, but politically it has great significance and far-reaching consequences," Klintsevich said. Other lawmakers are concerned about how the militants could have acquired the anti-aircraft weapon. "We have information that the MANPADS used to bring down our jet was brought into Syria from a neighboring country several days ago," MP Dmitry Sablin, coordinator of the Russia-Syria parliamentary friendship group, told Interfax. "Countries from whose territory weapons arrive, that are then used against Russian servicemen, must understand that whis will not go unpunished," he added.

Deputy Head of the State Duma Defense Committee, Yury Shvytkin, told RIA he is inclined to believe that the "MANPADS' origins are linked with Western countries."

A Pentagon spokesperson, interviewed by TASS, has already denied the US sent anti-aircraft weapons to Syria. However, the 2017 defense spending bill, signed under Barack Obama, opened the door for the supply of such weapons to Syrian rebels – a fact that Moscow sounded the alarm over when the bill was inked.

However, it envisages careful vetting of the recipients and extensive paperwork, and the Pentagon has previously said that no such deliveries have actually been made.

In mid-January, a report by the Syrian online outlet Al-Masdar claimed Kurdish forces operating in Syria had received a shipment of MANPADS from the US in an "independent secret deal." The report cited unnamed "opposition sources."
The Interfax agency states that Russia retaliated with a missile attack, killing at least 30 Al-Nusra militants in North-West Syria with "precision-guided weapons".