United Arab Emirates (UAE) fighter planes roared out of an air base
in Jordan on Tuesday in order to pound Islamic State (ISIS) militant
positions, an operation marking a return to combat operations by one of
the United States’ closest Arab allies in the fight against the
extremists.
report:
The Emirates’ decision to launch fresh airstrikes from
the kingdom after a more-than-monthlong hiatus was a strong show of
support for Western-allied Jordan, which has vowed a punishing response
to the militants’ killing of one of its pilots. It also is likely to
quiet concerns in Washington about the oil-rich Emirates’ commitment to
the fight.
The seven-state federation, which includes Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
stopped conducting airstrikes late last year after Jordanian Lt. Muath
al-Kaseasbeh was captured when his plane crashed behind enemy lines,
according to American officials. Al-Kaseasbeh was later burned alive in a
cage by the militants.
American defense officials last week said they moved
search-and-rescue aircraft closer to the battlefield, helping ease
allies’ concerns about the coalition’s ability to aid downed pilots.
The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces said Emirati F-16s
carried out a series of strikes Tuesday morning, according to a brief
statement carried by the Gulf nation’s official WAM news agency.
0 comments:
Post a Comment