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Syrian Mig Downed in Dogfight

January 3, 1973
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A Syrian MIG-21 was shot down today in a dogfight with Israeli jets over the cease-fire lines. A military spokesman said the air battle took place at 1 p.m. local time when the MIG attempted to interfere with an Israeli aerial patrol in Israeli air space. The Syrian plane was seen crashing into a hill on the Lebanese side of the Syrian-Lebanese border. All Israeli aircraft returned safely to their bases.

The incident was the latest in a week of tension along the Israeli-Syrian line during which Syrian artillery shelled Israeli settlements and Israel Air Force jets twice attacked terrorist stronghold and Army positions inside Syria. Israeli jets bombed the Syrian Army camp at Nabk, 40 miles north of Damascus Saturday night without interference from Syrian jets. Syrian MIG’s have been flying reconnaissance along the cease-fire line since Sunday but none crossed into Israeli air space until today.

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