U.S. Rejects Claim that IS Downed Military Plane in Iraq

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The jihadist-linked Amaq agency claimed Monday that the Islamic State group had shot down an American aircraft in Iraq, but the U.S. military said the claim was false.

"The crew of an American plane, which was shot down by Islamic State fighters near the Ain al-Asad base, was killed," Amaq said in an online statement, referring to a base where American personnel are stationed in Anbar province, west of Baghdad.

But a spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command rejected the Amaq claim.

"There is no truth to reports of (IS) downing (a) U.S. aircraft in the vicinity of Anbar. All U.S. and coalition aircraft are accounted for at this time," Captain Michele Rollins told AFP.

A U.S.-led coalition is carrying out strikes against IS in Iraq, and also providing training and other assistance to the country's forces.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by coalition support have since regained significant ground from the jihadists.

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