Israel Matzav

Syrian MiG21 pilot defects to Jordan

A Syrian MiG 21 jet that was on a training flight disappeared from the radar screen on Thursday morning (Hat Tip: IMRA).

An official source announced on Thursday that contact was lost with an MiG-21 aircraft that was on a training flight.

The source added in a statement that the aircraft, which was piloted by Col. Hassan Mirei al-Hamadeh, was near the Syrian southern borders before contact with it was lost at around 10: 34 am.

In Amman, a Jordanian government source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the MiG-21 warplane was forced to land in north Jordan.

Well, sort of.

A Syrian air force pilot defected to Jordan on Thursday, landing his MiG-21 jet fighter at a military airbase and asking for political asylum, Jordanian officials said.

The defection is the first involving an aircraft since the start of the uprising against President Bashar Assad, although thousands of soldiers have deserted from the Syrian army, whose ranks are mostly filled by members of the Sunni Muslim majority.

"He (the pilot) requested political asylum in Jordan. He is being debriefed at the moment," Jordanian Minister of State for Information Samih al-Maaytah told Reuters.

A Jordanian security source said the pilot flew from al-Dumair military airport northeast of Damascus and landed at the at King Hussein Airbase at 11 a.m. (0800 GMT).

King Hussein Airbase, named after the country's late monarch, is a military airport situated near the border with Syria, 80 kms (50 miles) northeast of the capital Amman.

A Jordanian official said that his country was worried about a military reaction from Syria, but I don't see that happening. Syria has much bigger problems than one pilot defecting.

Labels: Jordan, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:26 PM