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On December 6, ISIS fighters shot down a Syrian warplane with an unspecified “anti-aircraft” weapon over the village of Tasel located north of the city of al-Bukamal in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside, according to the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq.
However, Syrian pro-govement and oppositions sources denied Amaq’s claims and noted that Tasel was captured earlier by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies.
This is the second time this week Amaq claimed that ISIS shot down a Syrian warplane. On December 4, ISIS claimed that its fighters downed some warplane also north of al-Bukamal. However, these claims appeared to be unconfirmed.
Amaq mangers are likely trying to left the low morale of ISIS supporters by reporting such news. Especially that the Amaq claims came hours only after ISIS lost it last positions on the western bank of the Euphrates River.
The ISIS-linked news agency gained much credibility among ISIS supporters and some observers of the conflict in 2014, when the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Iraqi government media outlets were releasing conflicted reports about the situation during the ISIS expansion.
With ISIS falling now in Syria and Iraq, Amaq is likely trying to use its credibility to trick ISIS supporters all over the world into believing that ISIS still has a chance to turn this war the other way around just like in 2014. A desperate attempt that echos the complicated situation of the ISIS leadership.
