US-led coalition aircraft shoots down Syrian fighter jet near Raqqa

An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet from the US-led coalition battling ISIS in Syria downed a Syrian SU-22 fighter over the countryside south of Raqqa on Sunday afternoon local time, according to a coalition press release.On Sunday late afternoon, pro-Syrian government forces attacked the town of JaDin, south of Tabqah and west of Raqqa, ISIS self-declared capital, the release said.JaDin was held by coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, and the Syrian strikes wounded some SDF fighters. Coalition aircraft stopped the initial strike through a show of force.Coalition officials then contacted their Russian counterparts via a “de-confliction line” to stop the firing. But about two hours after the first strike by pro-Syrian government forces, a Syrian SU-22 fighter dropped several bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah.”In accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces,” the release said, the SU-22 “was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet.”In a statement released on Syrian state television, the Syrian army said the US-led coalition shot down a Syrian army jet during a combat mission against ISIS fighters south of Raqqa.The armys statement said the plane crashed and the pilot was missing.

 

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