Russian jet shot down in Syria's Idlib province ~ Sportty

A Russian Sukhoi-25 ground-attack aircraft has been shot down in a rebel-held area in Syria's north-western province of Idlib.

The Russian defence ministry said the pilot had ejected into an area believed to be controlled by the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance.

Although he survived the crash he was killed in a ground fight, Moscow said.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham - formerly linked to al-Qaeda - said it had shot down the plane.

The Syrian government, backed by Russian air power, launched a major offensive in December against rebel groups in Idlib.

Sportty