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ISIS Captures Jordanian Fighter Pilot in Syria ISIS Captures Jordanian Fighter Pilot in Syria
(about 2 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Militants from the Islamic State extremist group have captured a Jordanian fighter pilot, Jordan’s state news service said on Wednesday after reports that the pilot’s plane was shot down over northern Syria. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Militants from the Islamic State captured a Jordanian Air Force pilot on Wednesday after his plane went down during a military mission against the group in northern Syria.
Shooting down a fighter jet from the United States-led coalition against the Islamic State would be a first for the group. The pilot’s capture is also a coup that could shake the resolve of the Arab countries in the coalition, which began bombing Islamic State sites in Iraq and Syria this year. The jet was the first to go down since a coalition of countries led by the United States began bombing the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq this year. It is also the first time since the campaign began that the jihadists have been reported to capture anyone from the military of a participating country, giving it a new form of leverage over its enemies.
The Jordanian military said in a statement reported by Petra, the country’s state-run news service, that one of its pilots had been taken hostage and that the Jordanian government held the group and its supporters responsible for his safety. It remained unclear why the plane crashed. The Jordanian military said in a statement reported by Petra, the state-run news service, that one of its pilots had been taken hostage after his plane “went down” and that the Jordanian government held the Islamic State and his supporters responsible for his safety. The government identified the captive pilot as First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh.
It said that his plane “went down” while Jordanian jets were carrying out a mission aimed at Islamic State sites near Raqqa, in northern Syria. But earlier Wednesday, supporters of the Islamic State reported the capture on social media, saying that fighters had shot the plane down with an antiaircraft missile and posting photos of the jet’s debris and of the captured pilot in a white T-shirt and surrounded by masked gunmen. They also posted his military identification card.
Earlier on Wednesday, supporters of the Islamic State reported the capture on social media, saying it happened after the pilot’s plane was shot down, and posting photos of the jet’s debris and of the captured pilot in a white T-shirt and surrounded by masked gunmen. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group that monitors the war in Syria through contacts on the ground, also said militants had brought down the plane with an antiaircraft missile.
They also posted his military identification card, which gave his name as First Lt. Moaz Safi Yousef al-Kasasbeh.
American officials have lauded the contributions of their Arab allies, but also acknowledge that most of the strikes have been carried out by the United States, with its partners often playing a supporting role.American officials have lauded the contributions of their Arab allies, but also acknowledge that most of the strikes have been carried out by the United States, with its partners often playing a supporting role.
Those partners — Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — have avoided elaborating on their role in the campaign, mostly over fears of retribution by the Islamic State or to avoid domestic opposition from citizens who sympathize with the extremists.Those partners — Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — have avoided elaborating on their role in the campaign, mostly over fears of retribution by the Islamic State or to avoid domestic opposition from citizens who sympathize with the extremists.
Jordanian news outlets spoke with the captive pilot’s father, Yousef al-Kasasbeh, who said Jordanian officials had informed family members that their son had been captured and that Jordan’s military was doing it all it could to ensure his return. Jordanian news outlets spoke with the captive pilot’s father, Safi al-Kasasbeh, who said Jordanian officials had informed family members that their son had been captured and that Jordan’s military was doing it all it could to ensure his return.
It remained unclear whether the capture would affect the participation of Jordan and other Arab countries in the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, but the group will most likely use it to its advantage. The group has used hostages to negotiate prisoner swaps and to demand ransoms, and it has distributed grim videos of its fighters beheading Americans and Britons in what it has called revenge for those countries’ actions against it. It remained unclear whether the capture would affect the participation of Jordan and other Arab countries in the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. But the group will most likely try to use it to its advantage; in the past, it has used hostages to demand ransoms and distributed grim propaganda videos of its fighters beheading Americans and Britons in what it has called revenge for their countries’ actions.
Raising another concern for the air campaign, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said the militants had brought down the plane with an antiaircraft missile. While the Islamic State has reportedly seized such missiles from military bases it has captured in Iraq and Syria, it remains unclear how many the group has. Jawad Anani, a Jordanian member of Parliament and former foreign minister, said he expected most Jordanians to continue to back the government’s participation in the anti-ISIS coalition.
The United States Central Command did not immediately comment on the attack or the capture of the pilot. “If something — God forbid — happens to Moaz, then it will rally people behind the idea that ISIS must be fought against with all means possible,” he said. “It will also strengthen Jordan’s resolve to fight ISIS.”
But Labib Kamhawi, a Jordanian political analyst and reform activist, said the capture could cause domestic opinion to shift against participation in the war, especially if the jihadists kill the pilot.
“It is natural for people to express such feelings: ‘Why should our children go and get killed and captured by the enemy? For what cause?’ ” he said.
The United States Central Command did not comment on the capture of the pilot.