Syrian pilot ejects, rebels say they downed plane

Syrian men inspect a hole allegedly made during an airstrike by government forces in the town of Marea, Syria, Monday, Aug. 13, 2012. (AP / Khalil Hamra)

BEIRUT -- A video issued by Syrian rebels purports to show a captured pilot who ejected from a warplane they claim they downed.

The authenticity of the video shown on the pan-Arab network Al-Arabiya could not be independently confirmed. But it comes amid conflicting accounts over the MiG fighter.

Rebels claim they shot down the plane over eastern Syria. The Syrian government says a warplane experienced malfunctions and the pilot was forced to eject.

If the rebel claim proves true, it could mark a significant jump in their ability to combat widening air attacks from President Bashar Assad's forces.

In the video, a man identifies himself as the pilot as he is surrounded by three armed men. He says he has been treated well and urges officers to defect from Assad's military.