CNN: Syria accidentally shoots down Russian IL-20

Baku. 18 September. REPORT.AZ/ A Russian maritime patrol aircraft with multiple personnel on board was inadvertently shot down by Syrian regime anti-aircraft artillery on Monday after the Syrians came under attack by Israeli missiles, according to a US official with knowledge of the incident, Report informs citing CNN.

The US official said the regime was actually trying to stop a barrage of Israeli missiles. A second official confirmed that Israel was responsible for the missile strikes on the Syrian regime.

Earlier, Ministry of Defense of Russia reported that a Russian IL-20 military aircraft with 14 personnel on board disappeared over the Mediterranean on Monday. Ministry specified that "the trace of IL-20 went off the radars and disappeared during the attack of four Israeli F-16 aircraft on Syrian targets in the province of Latakia."

A Pentagon spokesman told CNN that the missiles were not fired by the US military but would not speak as to who was behind the strikes. An Israel Defense Forces spokesman declined to comment on the reports.