SyAAF L-39, Illustrative image, Source: luftwaffeas.blogspot.com
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) news network, Iba’a, claimed on June 8 that an L-39 warplane of the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) was hit with an unspecified air-defense weapon while conducting a sortie over Greater Idlib.
“A warplane of the criminal regime, of the L-39 type, was damaged after being targeted with the air-defenses of the al-Fateh al-Mubin operations room,” Iba’a’s report reads.
The Aero L-39 Albatros is a Czechoslovakian high-performance jet trainer with offensive capabilities. The SyAAF has been using this type of warplanes in close air support and ground attack missions, since 2012.
Pro-government activists denied HTS claims, saying that no warplane of the SyAAF was hit over Greater Idlib during the last 24 hours.
A day earlier, Su-22M4 of the SyAAF was hit with a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD) missile over northern Hama. However, the pilot was able to land safely in an unspecified airbase in Homs.
