A Syrian MIG-23 war jet

The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed on Friday it has captured the pilot of a warplane, a Mig-23 jet,  which crashed southeast of Damascus, the SITE Intelligence Group quoted the group’s Amaq news agency as saying.

According to the report, the IS claimed that it shot down the war jet and captured the pilot.

The IS claimed the captured pilot is Azzam Eid from the central province of Hama, adding that its militants captured him after parachuting southeast of Damascus.

Earlier in the day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a Syrian warplane crashed over a town controlled by the IS group southeast of Damascus.

The war jet crashed over Tal Dakweh near the town of Beir al-Qassab southeast of Damascus, said the Observatory.

The IS and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front have downed two Syrian warplanes over the past two weeks, as part of the intensified violence across the country.