(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The United Arab Emirates is sending a squadron of F16 jet fighters to Jordan to conduct air strikes against Daesh alongside Jordanian planes, an army source in Amman said.
Under directives from The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has ordered the stationing of a UAE Air Force F-16 squadron in fraternal Jordan.
The initiative expresses the stance of the people, government and leadership of the UAE with fraternal Jordan at all levels and in all arenas, and reaffirms the UAE's unwavering and constant solidarity with Jordan and its leading role and immense sacrifices for the security and stability of the region as embodied by Martyr and hero Maaz Al Kassasbeh.
The orders are also in support of the military efforts of the Jordanian Armed Forces, the Jordan Arab Army, and their effective participation in the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh, the brutal terrorist organisation that showed all the world its ugliness and violation of all religious and human values through abominable crimes that exposed its false allegations and drew outrage and disgust from the Arab peoples.
The UAE's initiative to support Jordan's official and popular stance emanates from its deep belief in the need for Arab collective cooperation to eliminate terrorism, through actions and words, and bolster the security, stability and moderation of the nation through the collective encountering of these terrorist gangs and their misleading ideology and brutal practices.
Jordan launched bombing raids against the militant group's positions in Syria and Iraq.
"This is a big boost and will be helping our (Gulf) brothers shorten their flying distances and intensify strikes against the militants," a source from the UAE told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
A US state department official said on Friday the UAE had reaffirmed its commitment to the air strike coalition.
Jordanian military experts say the ability of the kingdom to sustain its air strikes would come under strain in coming days given the 40 mid-life F-16 jets the air force has at its disposal.
Being based in Jordan would cut flying distances for the UAE planes to territory in north eastern Syria under the control of Daesh, defence sources in Amman said.
Jordan carried out air strikes for the third day running on Saturday, mainly targeting the militant group's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, a security source said.
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