U.S. shoots down Syrian warplane that attacked American-backed fighters

RAQQA, Syria — The U.S. military has announced that it shot down a Syrian Air Force fighter jet on Sunday after it dropped bombs near U.S. partner forces who were fighting ISIS.

U.S. officials say that the shoot-down was done in the “collective self defense” of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), allies in the fight against ISIS.

A U.S. Navy F-18 Super Hornet shot down the Assad regime’s SU-22, which “wound[ed] a number of SDF fighters and [drove] the SDF from the town” of Ja’Din.

"The coalition's mission is to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria," the Pentagon said in a statement. "The coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend coalition or partner forces from any threat. "

The coalition said the Russia was contacted before the Syrian plane was shot down.

Cox Media Group