ISIL’s Claim on Targeting Passenger Plane Rejected by Russia, Egypt
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia and Egypt categorically denied earlier claim by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group about downing a Russian passenger plane North of Sinai in which over 200 people lost their lives.
“Now in various media there is assorted information that the Russian passenger (plane)... was supposedly shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, fired by terrorists. This information can’t be considered accurate,” Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said on Saturday.
“We are in close contact with our Egyptian colleagues and aviation authorities in the country. At present, they have no information that would confirm such insinuations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Samir, Egypt’s army spokesman, also refuted the claim by the Takfiri group, saying that “the army sees no authenticity” to the terrorists claims or videos.
“They can put out whatever statements they want but there is no proof at this point that terrorists were responsible for this plane crash” he said.
“We will know the true reasons when the civil aviation authority in coordination with Russian authorities completes its investigation,” he added.
The militants from Velayat Sinai (Sinai Province), previously known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, had circulated a statement on social media claiming responsibility for the plane crash, saying it brought down the aircraft in revenge for Russian air strikes against Takfiri terrorists in Syria.
The statement did not provide any details on how the aircraft had been downed. Velayat Sinai pledged allegiance to the Daesh (ISIL) Takfiri group in November 2014.
