A Syrian government warplane is reported to have been shot down as fighting continues in the rebel-held northern province of Idlib.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, said the pilot of the Russian-made Sukhoi warplane had been captured and was being held by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant faction in Idlib Province. The Sukhoi 22 jet had taken off from a Syrian air base in Homs province.
HTS said the plane was shot down over al-Tamanaa, just to the east of Khan Sheikhoun. It confirmed that it was holding the pilot but gave no further information.
Earlier reports said Russian-backed government forces had advanced to just a few kilometres from the town.
Nearly 30 combatants are said to have been killed in overnight fighting.
Via BBC/ Al Jazeera/ Jerusalem Post
