UAE orders to station F-16 squadron in Jordan

Dubai (Xinhua) - United Arab Emirates (UAE) ordered to station one F-16 squadron in Jordan, state news agency WAM reported on Saturday.

The order was issued by the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi.

The move has reaffirmed 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 hero Muazth al-Kasasbeh, the report quoted the order as saying.

It displays UAE's support for Jordan's efforts and effective participation in an international coalition to battle the Islamic State militant group, according to the decree.

The order also said that "the brutal terrorist organization" has showed the whole 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."

However, it was not clear whether UAE's fighter jets will carry out airstrikes against the IS targets.

Jordan and the UAE are members of a U.S.-led military coalition against the jihadist militants, but, according to earlier reports,  the UAE has suspended its airstrikes late last year.

Earlier this week, the IS militants post a video clip on the Internet, which purportedly showed they burned a captured Jordanian pilot, Muazth al-Kassasbeh, to death.

Following the incident, King Abdullah II of Jordan vowed that Jordan's response to the killing of the pilot will be harsh. He said Jordan is engaged in this war to protect Islam and its values.

On Saturday, Jordan launched new rounds of airstrikes against the IS militants for the third straight day after its pilot was burned alive by the terrorist group.

The 26-year-old Jordanian pilot, was one of pilots with the U.S. -led anti-terror coalition, which comprises of several Arab forces,  including Jordan.

He was captured when his plane crashed while carrying a bomb mission against IS militants in Syria late last year.