UAE to carry out air strikes against Islamic State

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is sending a squadron of F-16 jets to Jordan to support the country’s air strikes against the Islamic State alongside Jordanian planes, after it had earlier suspended in involvement, an army official said.

The UAE, which alongside Jordan is a member of the US-led military coalition against ISIS, suspended its airstrikes against the terrorist group late last year after a Jordanian polot crashed over northern Syria and was captured by the fighters.

UAE's official WAM news agency said on Saturday that Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, deputy head of the country's armed forces, had ordered the move in what was called an “effective participation” in the military campaign against ISIS.

WAM said the deployment was aimed at supporting Jordan's military in the fight against "the brutal terrorist organisation" ISIS, without specifying the number of aircraft involved or their role.

A Jordanian official, speaking anonymously to the AP news agency, said that the UAE fighter jets will participate in air strikes on ISIS targets.

The Reuters news agency, citing a Jordanian army source, also said that the UAE's move would help intensify air strikes on the armed group.

"They will be based in Jordan. This is a big boost and will be helping our brothers shorten their flying distances and intensify strikes against the militants in Jordan," the anonymous military source said.

Meanwhile, Jordan continued to carry out air strikes for the third day running on Saturday, mainly targeting the jihadi group’s position in Raqqa, Syria. Jordan’s attacks come in response to the brutal killing of a captured Jordanian pilot.

On Saturday, the US military said that US-led forces have launched 15 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and 11 in Syria since Friday.