Jordan launches fresh wave of bombing raids against ISIS
Middle East, News February 7, 2015 Comments Off on Jordan launches fresh wave of bombing raids against ISISJordanian Fighter jets launched a fresh wave of bombing raids, delivering a deadly message to ISIS in response to the burning to death of a captured pilot.
Around 24 Jordanian F-16 planes returned to the Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base without their missiles following a two-and-a-half hour mission.
Two U.S. F-22 planes also landed at north Jordan base, one of the launch points for Saturday’s airstrikes.
The missions came after ISIS claimed that American hostage Kayla Mueller was killed in one of the strikes – but it released no video to back up its claim, and there was skepticism from foreign policy experts.
Jordan’s military on Thursday vowed that the airstrikes were just “the beginning” of the country’s retaliation for the horrific killing of pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh. ISIS on Tuesday released a video showing Kasabeh, who was captured over Syria in December, being burned alive in a cage.
King Abdullah, who on Thursday visited and consoled the dead pilot’s family in a public show of defiance, has called for global unity in the fight against terrorism and for understanding between Muslims and Christians.
Kayla Jean Mueller
The ISIS said in a statement on Friday that US hostage was killed in Jordanian bombings. However, Jordan and US officials are casting doubt on a claim made by ISIS that an American hostage was killed by a Jordanian airstrike.
According to CNN, Jordanian Interior Minister Hussein Majali called the claim as “another PR stunt by ISIS.”
Jordanian foreign minister Nasser Judeh said that Jordan extends air strikes against ISIS targets to Iraq. He also pledges to increase Jordanian air strikes and said “we have to increase not just air campaign but as we promised we are going to go after these guys (ISIS militants) with whatever we have”.
NBC/BI/AJ
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