ISIS's affiliate in Egypt claimed responsibility for downing Russian Metrojet Flight 9268, which crashed in the Sinai Peninsula on October 31. U.S. intelligence officials later indicated the group may have detonated a bomb onboard the airliner. Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended all Russian commercial flights to and from Egypt on November 6 based on a recommendation from his counterterrorism committee, although Russian officials have thus far avoided speculating publicly that the incident was an act of terrorism. Putin has pursued a closer partnership with Egypt as part of its recent efforts to build a regional counterterrorism axis in opposition to the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition. The possible bombing of a passenger plane by an affiliate of ISIS would expose a key flaw in the U.S.'s anti-ISIS strategy, which focuses on the terrorist group's activity in Iraq and Syria rather than its strengthening network of regional affiliates.
