Jihadist group claims shooting down Russian jet

CAIRO – 4 February 2018: A jihadist group linked to the former branch of al Qaeda in Syria claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian SU-25 warplane with a shoulder launched anti-aircraft missile.

The group Tahrir al-Sham released a statement on social media quoting a commander in charge of its air defences as saying one of its fighters had hit the jet during an air raid over the city of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib. Tahrir al-Sham includes the group formerly known as the Nusra Front, which served as al Qaeda's Syrian branch.