CAIRO — A militant group affiliated with the Islamic State in Egypt claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger plane that crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula on Saturday, the group said in a statement circulated by supporters on Twitter.
Egyptian security sources earlier Saturday said early investigations suggested the plane crashed due to a technical fault.
The claim of responsibility was also carried by the Aamaq website, which acts as a semi-official news agency for the Islamic State.
“The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 220 Russian crusaders. They were all killed, thanks be to God,” the statement circulated on Twitter said.
