Jordanian Fighter Jet Not Downed by ISIL - CENTCOM

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said today evidence clearly indicates that ISIL did not down the aircraft over Syria as the insurgent group is claiming.

“We… will not tolerate ISIL’s attempts to misrepresent or exploit this unfortunate aircraft crash for their own purposes,” said GEN Lloyd Austin, the Commander of the U.S. Central Command, who oversees all coalition military operations in Iraq and Syria. (CENTCOM, 24 December)

The Jordanian F-16 aircraft crashed in the vicinity of the northern Syrian city of Raqqah today and the pilot, identified as First Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh, was taken captive by ISIL forces. CENTCOM did not say what caused the crash.

Photo credit: An image posted by ISIL showing their forces with the captured Jordanian pilot of an F-16 aircraft, now identified as First Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh; Raqqa, Syria, 24 December 2014 (ISIL/AP/NYT)

ISIL shoots downs Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16 - Update

Update: United States Central Command denies cause of RJAF F-16 downing hostile fire from ISIL, in statement made without providing specifics of crash.

ISIL has claimed the successful shootdown of a U.S.-led coalition combat plane over Syria, flown by First Lieutenant Muaaz Yusuf El-Kasasbah of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), shown captured.

Aircraft type is believed to be RJAF General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon ("Viper") multirole fighter aircraft.

ISIL claims aircraft shot down with "anti-aircraft missile," possibly MANPADS. ISIL believed to have captured MANPADS from Syrian military stocks, and  also been known to acquire from Al-Nusra Front being passed on from Free Syrian Army source, originally provided through Qatari support.

RJAF First Lieutenant Muaaz Yusuf El-Kasasbah depicted at moment of capture at Hemret Ghannam, 11 km east of Al-Raqqa.

File photo of First Lieutenant Muaaz Yusuf El-Kasasbah, before RJAF General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon