ISLAMABAD: The Syrian embassy in Islamabad has honored a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) veteran, Air Commodore (retired) Sattar Alvi, with the Syrian Medal of Bravery for his services during the 1973 Arab-Israel war, the PAF said on Sunday.
In October 1973, a coalition of Arab states launched a surprise attack on Israel to retake the territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israel war in 1967. In the six-day 1967 war, Israel had captured Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, roughly half of Syria’s Golan Heights, and the territories of the West Bank which had been held by Jordan since 1948. The 1973 war was part of the Arab–Israel conflict that includes many battles and wars since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.
On April 26, 1973, Alvi, then a young flight lieutenant, shot down an Israeli Mirage aircraft while he was piloting a Syrian Air Force MiG-21 fighter jet during the ongoing conflict.
“The thirty-second air combat of Flight Lt. Sattar Alvi showcased the bravery and skill of Pakistani pilots in defending the Syrian airspace,” the PAF said in a statement.
“The event underlined the importance of quick reflexes, strategic thinking, and aircraft mastery in air combat, whereas the outcome of the air battle demonstrated the courage and determination of Pakistani pilots in protecting the sovereignty of a brotherly nation and ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.”
On behalf of the Syrian Arab Air Force and on the instructions of Syrian government, Syria’s Ambassador Dr. Ramez Alraee conferred the medal of bravery on Alvi along with a Certificate of Commemoration, according to the PAF.
“The acknowledgement by the Syrian government is truly a moment of pride for the entire Pakistani nation and a source of inspiration for generations to come,” it added.
