Iraq, Jordan say united in battle against ISIL

Iraq and Jordan have agreed to coordinate their fight against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.

This was announced following a meeting between Iraq’s Defense Minister Khalid al-Obaidi, and General Mashal Mohammad al-Zaben, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Wednesday.

Obeidi said during a press conference after the meeting that Amman and Baghdad are “in the same trench” in the anti-ISIL campaign.

Zaben, for his part, underlined that both countries would “not hesitate” to cooperate to defeat ISIL “in any place, whether in Iraq or Syria, or any other place in the world.”

The Jordanian official’s visit came days after the burning to death of a Jordanian pilot taken hostage by ISIL in Syria.

Jordan has intensified its airstrikes against the militants following the execution of Lieutenant Moaz al-Kassasbeh.

Burning to death of Jordan’s airman

In a 22-minute video released earlier in February by ISIL, Jordanian pilot, Kassasbeh, is seen dressed in an orange jumpsuit and surrounded by flames of fire inside a metal cage.

Kassasbeh was captured on December 24, 2014, after his F-16 jet crashed while flying over northern Syria on a mission against the terrorists.

The Jordanian state television said the pilot was killed on January 3.

In response to the killing of the 26-year-old pilot, Amman hanged Sajida al-Rishawi, a female terrorist linked to ISIL, and Ziyad Karboli, a senior al-Qaeda operative, vowing to avenge Kassasbeh’s murder.

Jordan is part of a so-called US-led military coalition that has purportedly been bombing militant targets in both Syria and Iraq over the past months. The coalition has carried out its operations without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

MR/HSN/SS

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk