December 24, 2014
Release # 20141208
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. -
A Jordanian F-16 aircraft crashed in the vicinity of the northern
Syrian city of Ar-Raqqah on Wednesday and the pilot has been taken
captive by ISIL forces.
Evidence clearly indicates that ISIL did not down the aircraft as the terrorist organization is claiming.
The
commander of U.S. Central Command, General Lloyd J. Austin III, who is
overseeing all coalition military operations in Iraq and Syria issued a
statement, "The Jordanians are highly-respected and valued partners and
their pilots and crews have performed exceptionally well over the course
of this campaign. We strongly condemn the actions of ISIL which has
taken captive the downed pilot. We will support efforts to ensure his
safe recovery, and will not tolerate ISIL's attempts to misrepresent or
exploit this unfortunate aircraft crash for their own purposes."