According to local TV, a Syrian army's military aircraft has been downed by insurgents in the Hama province. The pilot of the jet has reportedly been killed as a result of the downing, according to Al Arabiya.
#BREAKING: #Syrian media confirm opposition shot down regime military aircraft near the eastern Hama countryside. More soon. pic.twitter.com/4ct6ctdqDf
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) December 26, 2017
The report was confirmed by SANA, the Syrian state media organization.
"The military aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Hama after it was shot by terrorists; the pilot was killed," a source told the Syrian state-run SANA news agency.
According to local media reports translated by Sputnik, it wasn't clear which group was responsible for shooting down the jet. Several unconfirmed reports said the pilot survived the crash, but was later killed by his militant captors. The plane was reportedly identified as a L-39 Albatros. Still, conflicting reports have surfaced about what happened to the jet: Some local outlets reported that the jet suffered technical difficulties, while others said it was downed by anti-aircraft guns.
This story is developing...