AMMAN: Jordan vowed on Thursday to make every effort to save a pilot captured by the Islamic State group in Syria as Washington denied claims the jihadists had shot down his warplane.

Maaz al-Kassasbeh, a 26-year-old first lieutenant in the Jordanian air force, was captured by IS on Wednesday after his F-16 jet crashed while on a mission against the jihadists over northern Syria.

It was the first warplane lost and the first capture of a serviceman since the coalition launched strikes against IS in Syria in September. It was also a major propaganda victory for the extremist group, which released several photographs parading the captured pilot.

“The Jordanian government... is making all efforts with several crisis cells to free (the pilot),” government daily Al-Rai said in an editorial on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014