Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. warplane downs Syrian army jet in southern Raqqa province
Reuters ^ | 18 Jun 2017

Posted on 06/18/2017 4:08:42 PM PDT by mandaladon

A U.S. warplane shot down a Syrian army jet on Sunday in the southern Raqqa countryside with Washington saying the jet had dropped bombs near U.S. backed forces and Damascus saying the plane was downed while flying a mission against Islamic State militants.

A Syrian army statement released on Syrian state television said the plane crashed and the pilot was missing. It said the incident took place on Sunday afternoon near a village called Rasafah.

The "flagrant attack was an attempt to undermine the efforts of the army as the only effective force capable with its allies ... in fighting terrorism across its territory," the Syrian army said.

"This comes at a time when the Syrian army and its allies were making clear advances in fighting the Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist group."

Later the U.S. Central Command issued a statement saying the Syrian plane was downed "in collective self-defense of Coalition-partnered forces," identified as fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near Tabqah.

It said that "pro-Syrian regime forces" had earlier attacked an SDF held town south of Tabqa and wounded a number of fighters and driving them from the town.

Coalition aircraft in a show of force stopped the initial advance. When a Syrian army SU-22 jet later dropped bombs near the U.S. backed forces, it was immediately shot by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet, the statement said.

Before it downed the plane, the coalition had "contacted the its Russian counterparts by telephone via an established "de-confliction line" to de-escalate the situation and stop the firing."

The coalition does "not seek to fight the Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces" but would not "hesitate to defend itself or its "partnered forces from any threat," the statement said.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: russiasyria; syria; syriajet; syriawar; trump

1 posted on 06/18/2017 4:08:42 PM PDT by mandaladon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Eat THAT Pooty Poot.


2 posted on 06/18/2017 5:06:51 PM PDT by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

Good for the gene pool.


3 posted on 06/18/2017 5:10:02 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: mandaladon

“At 6:43 p.m., a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqa and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet,” the coalition confirmed.


4 posted on 06/18/2017 5:14:51 PM PDT by onona (i don't know what the reticent is)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

Did I miss the U.S. declaration of war against Syria?

Endless wars...a goal of the Deep State.


5 posted on 06/18/2017 5:23:08 PM PDT by Southack (The one thing preppers need from the 1st World? http://tinyurl.com/ktfwljc .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Southack

The intent of the post was not in support of endless war. It was an “in you face” to the haters who are trying to take down President Trump on a collusion with THE RUSSIANS investigation. In other words, if President Trump and Vlad are such great friends, why would President Trump make Vlad look bad?


6 posted on 06/18/2017 5:27:20 PM PDT by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DIRTYSECRET

In the crazy mixed up war, even the Iranians have fired missiles at ISIS. They have EVERYONE mad at them!


7 posted on 06/18/2017 5:28:49 PM PDT by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: mandaladon

QUOTE: The coalition does “not seek to fight the Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces”...”

But, the coalition is providing air cover for forces fighting the Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces.

Assad is alewite (Shia sect). 68% of the country is Sunni and they long ago fostered from the Army. Assad can’t win in a ground battle, because he doesn’t have the infantry to hold ground.

This will go on for another decade.


8 posted on 06/18/2017 5:34:29 PM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fitzy_888

“Fostered”. =>. Make that “deserted”.


9 posted on 06/18/2017 5:42:56 PM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

Putin didn’t do nothing wrong.


10 posted on 06/18/2017 5:51:03 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Smoke does not mean fire when someone threw a smoke grenade.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ichabod1

I explained to Southack in post #6 what my intent was.


11 posted on 06/18/2017 6:01:47 PM PDT by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

Drudge has the same US shoots down Syrian plane story up, but the F35 is marked Israeli.
Accident? I don’t think so.


12 posted on 06/18/2017 6:46:12 PM PDT by 9422WMR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: mandaladon

Good news for the pipeline people who apparently bought this administration too. Oh well, at least Trump didnt bow, right?


13 posted on 06/18/2017 7:19:05 PM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Southack

They rant like John Bolton did on Fox News earlier today about Iran.

In Syria they use Iran as the excuse or Iranian backed forces to push the military options further and further.

I notice only limited reapplication of sanctions after they were lifted following the much denounced nuclear deal with Iran.

If the Neocon leaders in Washington hate Iran so much and want to start shooting in Syria because of their involvement there, why not total sanctions on Iran now?

I say its because Boeing and Airbus are selling 183 aircraft to Iran worth billions to those companies.


14 posted on 06/18/2017 7:40:10 PM PDT by Spiridon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DIRTYSECRET

The coalition does “not seek to fight the Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces.” Nothing released by the government or the media can be believed.


15 posted on 06/18/2017 9:23:02 PM PDT by Vehmgericht
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 9422WMR

It’s a head scratcher.


16 posted on 06/18/2017 10:28:38 PM PDT by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson