PHOTO: Pilot Nawras Hassan, later killed following the downing of his regime warplane


Another regime warplane has been shot down near Syria’s capital Damascus, with the pilot subsequently captured and killed by the jihadists of Jabhat al-Nusra, according to local sources.

Activists initially said the Su-22 jet fighter suffered technical failure, but the rebel faction Jaish al-Islam subsequently said that it downed the plane.

In recent days, Jaish al-Islam has also downed a MiG-29 jet and a helicopter with anti-air systems.

The pilot, Major Nawras Hassan, ejected. He was captured in Jairoud in the eastern Qalamoun region at a checkpoint manned by fighters of Jabhat al-Nusra and the rebel faction Ahrar al-Sham.

Hassan was filmed by a Jaish al-Islam media team and, since the faction downed the jet, was supposed to be handed over to it this afternoon. Instead Nusra killed the pilot, according to the local sources.

The jihadists did not tell Jaish al-Islam why did not adhere to the agreement over Hassan. The sources said Jaish al-Islam have asked Nusra for an explanation and a handover of the pilot’s body.

Jaish al-Islam’s spokesman, Captain Islam Alloush, has posted a picture of the slain pilot on Twitter.

Crash site and footage of Hassan being questioned:

People going through plane wreckage for scrap metal: