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Russian Jet Crashes on Take off from Syrian Base

A Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet takes off from the Hmeimim air base in Syria, in this handout photograph released by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22, 2015. (Reuters)
A Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet takes off from the Hmeimim air base in Syria, in this handout photograph released by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22, 2015. (Reuters)
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Russian Jet Crashes on Take off from Syrian Base

A Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet takes off from the Hmeimim air base in Syria, in this handout photograph released by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22, 2015. (Reuters)
A Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet takes off from the Hmeimim air base in Syria, in this handout photograph released by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22, 2015. (Reuters)

A Russian military jet crashed on Tuesday while taking off Syria’s Hmeimim base, Russian news agencies said.

The crew members of the Sukhoi jet were killed in the incident, said a military spokesman.

"The Su-24 plane rolled off the runway and broke up while accelerating for takeoff... The plane's crew did not have time to eject and died," the spokesman said.

He did not clarify how many people died, but the Su-24 usually has a crew of two.

"According to a report from the scene of the accident, the reason could be a technical failure," he added.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the crash in a brief statement.

Russian news agencies quoted the ministry as saying the cause could have been technical malfunction.

The crew in Tuesday’s crash was bound on a combat mission.

The latest casualties put the toll of Russian servicemen officially reported killed in Syria at 37.

Last month a Russian general was killed near the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, where Russian special forces are participating in the regime's ground offensive.

Russia has staged air strikes in Syria in support of the regime of Bashar al-Assad since 2015.

On Tuesday, the defense ministry said Russian planes are currently carrying out 150 strikes per day in eastern Syria against ISIS.

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Syria’s Reconciliation Committee Prioritizes Stability after Anger Over Prisoner Releases

Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
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Syria’s Reconciliation Committee Prioritizes Stability after Anger Over Prisoner Releases

Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)

Syria’s High Committee for National Reconciliation has defended recent controversial prisoner releases, saying the decision aims to preserve national stability amid ongoing tensions.

Committee member Hassan Soufan confirmed that several officers recently freed had voluntarily surrendered in 2021 at the Iraqi border and in the Al-Sukhna region, under a formal request for safe conduct.

Speaking at a press conference in Damascus on Tuesday, Soufan addressed public backlash following the releases and acknowledged the deep pain felt by victims’ families.

“We fully understand the anger and grief of the families of martyrs,” he said. “But the current phase requires decisions that can help secure relative stability for the coming period.”

The controversy erupted after the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday the release of dozens of detainees in Latakia, many of whom were arrested during the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation, which contributed to the fall of the Assad regime.

Among those involved in the mediation effort was Fadi Saqr, a former commander in the regime’s National Defense Forces, who has been accused of war crimes, including involvement in the Tadamon massacre in southern Damascus.

Soufan explained that the released officers had undergone investigation and were found not to have participated in war crimes. “Keeping them imprisoned no longer serves a national interest,” he said. “It has no legal justification.”

He stressed that Syria is in a delicate phase of national reconciliation, in which balancing justice and peace is critical.

“There are two parallel tracks - transitional justice and civil peace - and today, the priority is civil peace, as it lays the groundwork for all other strategic efforts,” he said.

Soufan added that the committee has requested expanded powers from the Syrian president, including the authority to release detainees not proven guilty and to coordinate directly with state institutions.

He insisted that the aim is not to bypass justice, but to prevent further bloodshed. “Vengeance and retribution are not paths to justice,” he said. “They allow real criminals to slip away while deepening divisions.”

While affirming that transitional justice remains essential, Soufan noted that it should focus on top perpetrators of atrocities, not individuals who merely served under the regime. “Justice means accountability for those who planned and carried out major crimes, not blanket punishment.”