A US fighter jet shot down a Syrian regime plane on Sunday after it dropped bombs on forces fighting the Islamic State in northern Syria, the American-led coalition said.

"At 6:43 pm (1743 GMT), a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a US F/A-18E Super Hornet," the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement.

It said that two hours earlier, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad attacked Syrian Democratic Forces in the town of Ja'Din south of Tabqah, "wounding a number of SDF fighters and driving the SDF from the town." Coalition aircraft then stopped the pro-regime forces' initial advance with a "show of force," the coalition added.