On Saturday, Syrian rebels said they had brought down a Russian warplane in an area of northern Syria that has seen heavy air strikes. Two rebel sources said they had captured the pilot who was badly injured. A rebel source said the Sukhoi plane was shot down over a major highway that has come under fierce air attack and attempts to advance on the ground by the Syrian army and Iranian-backed militias. Two rebel sources said the pilot was badly injured after escaping the crash by parachute.