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ISIS claims responsibility for Russian plane crash

by Bradford Richardson - 10/31/15 11:04 AM ET

A militant group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for downing a Russian passenger plane that crashed in Egypt on Saturday, according to Reuters.

The group circulated a statement on Twitter saying they shot down the plane.

{mosads}“The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 220 Russian crusaders,” the statement said. “They were all killed, thanks be to God.”

The statement was also posted on the Aamaq website, which acts as a semi-official news agency for ISIS.

Egyptian and Russian officials have dismissed the notion that ISIS shot down the plane.

“This is ridiculous. The plane was flying at an altitude of 31,000 feet, out of the range of any weapons on the ground,” a high-ranking Egyptian military intelligence official told BuzzFeed News.

Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said the claim “cannot be considered reliable,” according to the Russian Interfax news agency.

Egyptian media are reporting that the crash was caused by a “technical failure.”

Flight 92-68 operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia took off from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, headed for St. Petersburg.

It crashed into Egypt’s Sinai peninsula on Saturday, killing all on board.

The plane was carrying 200 adult passengers, 17 children and seven crew. There were no survivors.

– Updated at 11:54 p.m.

Tags Egypt Islamic State in Iraq and Syria Russia Syria