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Helicopter Attempts to Land in Northern Syria to Rescue Jordanian Pilot

© REUTERS / StringerA man holds up a knife as he rides on the back of a motorcycle in Northern Syria.
A man holds up a knife as he rides on the back of a motorcycle in Northern Syria. - Sputnik International
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Reports coming from Raqqa, a city in Northern Syria and the de-facto capital of the Islamic State, reveal about a possible failed operation carried out by US-led coalition forces to rescue a Jordanian pilot held by the militant group.

Мembers of the Islamic State group with the captured Jordanian pilot, center, wearing a white shirt, in Raqqa, Syria - Sputnik International
IS Releases 'Interview' With Captured Jordanian Pilot
MOSCOW, January 3 (Sputnik) – A military helicopter tried to land in Raqqa, a city in Northern Syria and the de-facto capital of the Islamic State (IS), Friday overnight in an attempt to rescue a Jordanian hostage held by the militants, The Telegraph reported.

If the reports are confirmed about the night raid in Raqqa, it may have been the possibility of the US-led coalition forces attempting to rescue Jordanian pilot First Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh from captivity, Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) said.

The night raid failed, after the military helicopter came under heavy fire from the IS fighters when trying to land, according to activists from the group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, who posted details of the raid on their website.

One of the activists, Abu Ibrahim al-Raqqawi, said he saw “intense aerial activity” about 15 miles (some 25 kilometers) away from Raqqa the night before the raid.

Friday overnight, coalition planes started patrolling the area. “I have friends in the area. They saw what was happening from their rooftop and then had to take cover. There was an exchange of gunfire for 20 minutes, and someone was firing flares to light the sky”, said al-Raqqawi, cited by the Washington Post.

US officials, however, denied the reports. Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said there was no ground operation or any other raid involving the US forces, according to the Washington Post.

Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently is a group that monitors IS activities in the region. In the past, the group has exposed many human rights violations committed by the militant group, including beheadings.

The F-16 combat aircraft piloted by al-Kaseasbeh went down near Raqqa last month. He became the first foreign pilot to be captured by the IS since a campaign of airstrikes was launched against the movement by an international coalition in September.

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