In a handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi Arabian air force pilots pose for a photo at an undisclosed location after taking part in a mission to strike Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria yesterday. AFP
AFP
Saudi pilots who conducted air strikes on jihadists in Syria received online death threats Wednesday after photos were published of those involved, among them a son of the crown prince.
The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) released photographs of eight airmen it said were involved in Tuesday's US-led operation, carried out with Gulf allies.
In one picture they stood, some smiling, in green flight suits with arms around each other in front of one of their fighter jets.
One of the pilots involved in the raids is a son of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz himself, according to Saudi newspapers.
Dozens of Islamic State group (IS) and Al-Qaeda militants were reported killed in the coalition air raids, sparking jihadist threats online where the Saudi pilots' photos reappeared.
One Twitter user said the air force men were "wanted by IS" while another said their throats "will sooner or later be slit".
A broader threat came from a Twitter post which called for the killing of police as well as military men.
Some Internet users, however, defended the Saudi airmen.
"The Saudi pilots returned safe and sound Tuesday morning after having accomplished their duty in carrying out successful and effective strikes against the Islamic State extremist organisation in Syria," SPA said overnight.
