Moroccan jet goes missing in Yemen clashes

Houthi rebels in Yemen say they have shot down a Moroccan fighter jet that was taking part in Saudi-led coalition air strikes against them.

A Moroccan F16 fighter jet from the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen was hit in the fighting and has yet to be located, Moroccan armed forces say.

The plane was thought to have been shot down on Sunday, while the fate of the pilot remains unknown, the military said in a statement released by official news agency MAP.

The pilot flying directly behind the missing jet "could not confirm" if his colleague was able to escape the aircraft and get to safety or not, according to the statement.

Morocco joined the coalition "to restore legitimacy in Yemen" immediately after it was formed, a decision that was made without consulting the parliament, which is the prerogative of King Mohammed VI.

Morocco has reportedly provided six aircraft to the coalition's operational command, although little information has been disclosed about its involvement.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

The F16s are apparently the same that flew in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.


1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world