Syria Rebels Say They Shot Down Warplane In Hama Province

Beirut: Syrian rebels and a group monitoring the conflict said insurgents had shot down a warplane over western Syria on Saturday, although there were conflicting accounts on whether it had been brought down by a missile or anti-aircraft guns.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a rebel group had brought down the jet in Hama province by firing two heat-seeking missiles, saying the plane was most probably Syrian. But a rebel group operating in the area, Jaish al-Nasr, said it had brought down the jet with anti-aircraft guns.

There was no immediate word from the Syrian military.

Syrian rebels have previously shot down Syrian warplanes with anti-aircraft guns.

They have called on their foreign backers including Saudi Arabia to supply them with anti-aircraft missiles to confront Syrian and Russian warplanes. But they have said these weapons have so far not been provided, reflecting concerns that they could end up in the hands of groups such as ISIS.