Syria rebels claim downing of MIG

Unverified video uploaded to the internet purports to show a military MIG 33 being shot down by Syrian rebel group the Unified Brigade Sons of Hama. The fourth-largest city in Syria, Hama has been the scene of fierce fighting during the war lasting almost two years. UN figures now put the death toll in the Syrian conflict at more than 60,000. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has accused Israel of ‘collaboration with the hostile foreign powers and their tools in Syria’, according to the country’s news agency. Assad’s comments, made during a meeting on Sunday with Saeed Jalili, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, are the first time the president has spoke about the bombing since it happened nearly one week ago. Assad also warned Israel that Syria is “capable of repelling any aggression”. Apparently acknowledging an attack on January 30th on what it calls an ‘arms complex’, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said it shows Israel is serious about preventing the flow of heavy weapons into Lebanon.