Islamic State claims it shot down Syrian plane, captured pilot

The Islamic State (IS) group on Friday said it captured a Syrian pilot alive, claiming to have shot down his plane east of Damascus, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency reported.

A Syrian military source said the plane had crashed because of a mechanical failure.

Amaq gave the pilot's name as Azzam Eid, from Hama. It said IS fighters had shot down his plane and found him alive after he parachuted down near the crash site.

A video posted by Amaq showed the charred remains of a plane, some parts still on fire, lying on a vast desert plain.

Several apparent IS fighters in military-style fatigues circle around the wreckage, pointing to the two-starred Syrian government flag clearly visible on one of the wings.

Syrian state news agency SANA had no immediate news on the incident.

The Russian news agency Interfax quoted a Syrian military source as saying: "The plane had recently undergone repairs ... there was no attack from the ground. It crashed because of a technical fault. The pilot ejected."

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the plane crash on Friday, according to Reuters. The Observatory said it was not clear whether the plane had been shot down or crashed because of mechanical failure.

Recently, IS fighters have shot down Syrian government warplanes over the Dmeir military airport near Damascus and in the southern province of Sweida.

On both occasions, the pilots were able to touch down in government-held zones.

In December 2014, IS shot down a warplane from the US-led coalition striking the group in Syria and captured the Jordanian pilot alive.

The group later burned pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh alive and posted video footage of his death online.

Syria's conflict began in March 2011 with widespread anti-government protests that have spiralled into a multi-front, complicated civil war.

Across the country, IS is fighting the Syrian government, other rebels and Kurdish groups.