Jordan confirms pilot captured by Islamic State

The pro-IS Raqqa Media Center posted photos purportedly showing the captured Jordanian pilot

The Jordanian military has confirmed that one of its planes has crashed over northern Syria and that its pilot has been captured by Islamic State (IS).

The jihadist group earlier said it had shot down the jet with a heat-seeking missile near the city of Raqqa.

It published photographs showing the pilot, whom it identified as Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh.

This is the first US-led coalition aircraft to be lost on IS territory since air strikes began in September.

Jordan is one of four Arab countries whose aircraft have been flying sorties over Syria.

'Heat-seeking missile'

On Wednesday morning, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said it had received reports from its network of activists that IS members had taken "an Arab pilot prisoner after shooting his plane down with an anti-aircraft missile near the city of Raqqa".

The pro-IS Raqqa Media Center also posted a photo on its Facebook page showing armed men taking the pilot out of what appeared to be a lake or river.

The man appeared able to stand but was bleeding from the mouth. He was wearing only a white T-shirt and was soaking wet.

A caption identified him as Lt Kasasbeh and later a photo appearing to show his military ID card was published.

Lt Kasasbeh's father, Youssef al-Kasasbeh, confirmed his son's plane had crashed in Syria in an interview with the Jordanian newspaper, Saraya.

We do not know yet if the Jordanian aircraft suffered an engine failure or other technical problem, or if it was actually downed by IS air defences.

IS has been assumed to have a limited air defence capability - based not least on the sorts of shoulder-fired missiles that are rife in the region.

IS fighters have downed Iraqi and Syrian government aircraft and helicopters in the past. We also know that IS has overrun a number of Syrian air defence bases.

The aircraft appeared to come down near a river or lake, outside the city of Raqqa

It is not clear if IS has personnel capable of operating any of these more sophisticated Soviet or Russian-supplied systems.

The US-led coalition permanently monitors the nature of the air defence threat and if the Jordanian aircraft was shot down then any potential lessons will be fed into the ongoing air campaign.

Youssef al-Kasasbeh said he found out the news after the head of the RJAF informed another of his sons.

Lt Kasasbeh has been a pilot in the RJAF for six years and had only visited their home last Sunday, he said.

He appealed to IS leaders: "May Allah plant mercy in your hearts and may you release my son."

Jordan's military said the jet was one of several involved in a raid on IS hideouts in the Raqqa region

The air forces of Jordan, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain have carried out hundreds of air strikes on IS in Syria in the past three months.

Many of the targets have been in and around Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the "caliphate" whose creation IS proclaimed in June.

Syrian government warplanes also regularly bomb Raqqa and the surrounding province. On Tuesday, an air strike killed more than 20 people, according to the Syrian Observatory.

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and UK have joined the US in conducting air strikes on IS in neighbouring Iraq.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the latest news will raise concern among the coalition nations about the level of armament available to the militants and the defensive measures deployed by coalition jets.

It may further diminish the appetite of Arab nations to take part in such operation, our correspondent adds.