(Zaman Al Wasl)- Al Qaeda's Syria branch, the Nusra Front, has killed the captive pilot after his warplane was shot down by the powerful Islam Army group northeast of Damascus on Friday, according to statement posted online by Islam Army.
A spokesman for Jaish al-Islam rebels, who control territory on the capital's eastern and northeastern outskirts, circulated a video they said showed the captured pilot.
Islam Army in new statement said the 36-year-old pilot, Nawras Hassan, has been killed by Nusra Front, demanding a clarification from Nusra.
Islam Army said the plane had been shot down, but did not say what weaponry was used.
Regime state media said the crash was caused by a technical fault and a search was under way for the pilot, who had ejected.
Rebels shot down two warplanes earlier this year. The Syrian regime said one of them was downed by an anti-aircraft missile, but rebels said they used anti-aircraft guns.
Any confirmation the rebels now have the missile equipment would be a major upgrade in their arsenal. Anti-aircraft missiles have long demanded by foreign-backed rebels against devastating aerial raids by Syrian and Russian forces, Reuters reported.
Russia has been a major ally of Bashar al-Assad and arms supplier in the country's civil war, now in its sixth year. (With Reuters)
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