Amman, Jordan – Approximately 7,000 Islamic State group fighters have been killed since Jordan began participating in coalition airstrikes, the country’s air force chief claimed on Sunday.
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The Hashemite Kingdom has launched airstrikes against Islamic State group weapons depots, training centers and military barracks since militants released a video of them burning a Jordanian pilot to death.
Jordanian officials have said they would retaliate harshly for the slaying of the pilot, Lt. Muaz Kasasbeh, who was set ablaze while trapped in a cage.
Since Thursday, the Jordanian air force has attacked and destroyed 56 Islamic State targets, the air force chief, General Mansour al-Jabour, told reporters. This includes 19 targets on the first day, 18 on the second and 19 on the third, he said.
“We achieved what we were looking for: revenge for Muaz,” the general said. “And this is not the end. This is the beginning.”
In recent days, Jordanian officials have delivered tough warnings to Islamic State, saying the retaliation campaign would not stop until the group has been destroyed.
The United States and several Arab allies, including Jordan, have been striking the Islamic State group in Syria since September 23, while warplanes from the US and other countries have been waging an air campaign against the extremists in Iraq for even longer. The campaign aims to push back the jihadist organization after it took large parts of Iraq and Syria and declared a “caliphate.”
Al-Jabour said coalition planes have flown 5,500 sorties since the beginning of the air campaign, including 2,000 reconnaissance flights. He did not say whether this included flights over both Syria and Iraq. He said Jordan’s air force participated in 946 sorties.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have been participating in the Syria airstrikes, with logistical support from Qatar.
US officials have said that the UAE suspended airstrikes after the capture of the Jordanian pilot. The UAE announced Saturday it was sending a squadron of F-16 fighters to Jordan.
The Emiratis did not say what role the planes would play. A Jordanian official said they would participate in airstrikes.
His father kill 100,000 in black september after Arafat try to take over Jordan. Good luck King and hope you reach that number also
I can’t understand. America sending sorties since September – 6 months – ago and 1,000 Isis were killed. Jordan sends planes for 2 days and 7,000 are killed. When someone wants to succeed, they, do.
Im concerned that ISIS will head to Jordan soon and Israel will have to get involved due to the fact thats jordan is next door. Lets hope that this is the beginning of the end (moshiach)
Isn’t that grossly disproportionate? They only killed 1 Jordanian and got 7,000 of theirs killed? Lol – kein yirbu!
אראבישע דימיונות אין גוזמאות
This is the only way just kill out as much as u could thumbs up for jordan
When will the UN chime in and say they should use proportionate force and this is getting out of control??? How could they kill 7,000 people for just one pilot?
Then you wonder what would they say if this was Israel that was on the offense against ISIS??
Just Wondering
Yet when Israel does this the world cries foul
Typical Arabic exaggeration.
I would be shocked if only 200 were killed.
The Jordanians are doing what no one else had the moxie to do. And since they are a Muslim country, no one will say boo. If Israel would have done this, the world would be in an uproar.
Let’s add 6 more zeroes to that #.
All fine and (very) good.
How, had this been Israel the headline would have been 7000 civilians killed.
Just sayin’.
BS’D. Obama could have done much, much more than this- but his secret unspoken agenda precludes it. HE IS FORCED TO HOLD HIS TONGUE
So ironic that Jordan, Egypt, Japan are leading the fight against ISIS. If America and the western world was interested in sending these devils back where they cake from, it would’ve been done months ago.
I assume Israel is giving Jordan all the intelligence they need to blow up the targets
makes me wonder what the US and its allies are doing there
I want to see if the UN says anything
Great keep it going there is 1 billion left…
That is a lie. BTW, how many dead civilians? Or, nobody cares?
Yeah right !!!!!!!
People, stop complaining. Jordan is taking out the trash and doing the world a favor.
Gog umagog?
That means that 504,000 virgins are required to give each one the 72 promised in the Koran. I bet they’ve run out already.