Syrian rebels claim pilot of downed Russian warplane dead

Rebels in northwestern Syria has posted an online video showing a dead pilot who is purported to be from the Russian warplane downed by Turkish air force earlier on Tuesday.

In the video shouts of Allah Akbar, or God is great, was heard from a group of rebels operating in the countryside of Syria's northwestern province of Latakia, where the Russian plane crashed.

"The 10th Brigade has captured the Russian pilot," a rebel fighter was saying, pointing his camera to the body of the purported pilot who was lying on his back, not moving and severely wounded.

The rebels said the pilot is dead, according to the 20-second video which was posted on Twitter.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a warplane that reportedly violated the Turkish airspace, Turkish media said. The plane crashed inside the Syrian territory near the border.

Reports said the pilots of the targeted warplane have parachuted.

The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that a Su-24 warplane crashed in Syria.

"A Russian Su-24 located at the altitude of 6,000 meters in Syrian airspace crashed allegedly because of gunfire from the ground," Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed defense ministry official as saying. Endit