Beirut: The Islamic State group says it has shot down a Syrian warplane near the historic city of Palmyra.
The extremist group's Aamaq news agency said on Saturday that the militants downed the jet near the Jazal oil fields west of the city, which is home to famed 2,000-year-old ruins.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a government jet crashed in the Jazal area. It reported IS militants were attacking government positions 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from Palmyra, which the government recaptured from the extremists to great fanfare in March. The activist-run Palmyra Coordination Committee said the jet was a MiG-23.
The Observatory said Friday that the IS assault near Palmyra has killed at least 49 pro-government forces. The Syrian government has not commented on the reports.
