Jordan jet was not shot down by ISIL group: US military
ILNA: The United States dismissed Wednesday a claim by the ISIL jihadist group that it had shot down a Jordanian F - 16 fighter flying with US - led coalition forces, which crashed in eastern Syria.
" Evidence clearly indicates that ISIL did not down the aircraft as the terrorist organization is claiming, " said US Central Command, the body overseeing the coalition air war over Iraq and Syria.
The statement did not give a cause for the " crash, " and confirmed the lost jet’s Jordanian pilot had been taken captive by ISIL guerrillas.
" We strongly condemn the actions of ISIL, which has taken captive the downed pilot, " said CentCom commander General Lloyd Austin.
" We will support efforts to ensure his safe recovery, and will not tolerate ISIL’s attempts to misrepresent or exploit this unfortunate aircraft crash for their own purposes. "
" The Jordanians are highly respected and valued partners and their pilots and crews have performed exceptionally well over the course of this campaign, " he added.