Jordan 'destroys dozens of IS targets in three days'

Air force commander says bombing runs in "operation Moaz al-Kassasbeh" hit barracks, weapons and training centres and did not attack civilian areas.

MENA

2 min read

Mohammad al-Fadilat

08 February, 2015

Jordan's air force has launched dozens of strikes over the weekend

Jordan has said its air force has has destroyed dozens of Islamic State targets in three days of "operation Moaz al-Kassasbeh" in response to the murder of its pilot.

Mansour al-Jabour, the commander of Jordan's air force, said on Sunday that Jordanian jets had destroyed 19 IS training centres, 18 weapons storage areas for fuel and materiel, and 19 barracks manned by IS fighters in a total of 56 mission.

The statement comes days after Jordan broadcast on state television a video showing its military preparing for and carrying out airstrikes against the IS group. The video was accompanied by dramatic music and voiceover.

"We have achieved our goal in retaliation for Moaz, and what we have accomplished in the past three days is only the beginning. We are determined to fight the IS until we reach the goal of wiping them from the face of the earth," said Jabour in Amman.

"We are at war, and it is our war to defend our homeland and our religion that was distorted by the IS and its actions."

Jabour said none of the attacks "targeted civilians or destroyed any houses in residential areas".

Jordan state TV's montage of attacks.

IS sympathisers this weekend said a Jordanian airstrike had killed Kayla Mueller, an American aid worker being held by the group.

Jabour added that airstrikes over the coming days may "increase or decrease every day, depending on how the operations go".

Jabour claimed the US-led international alliance against the IS has destroyed a fifth of IS combat capabilities, and killed more than 7,000 IS fighters since it began missions last year. Those figures have not been confirmed by others in the alliance.

Jabbour said there had been a total of 5,500 airstrikes on IS strongholds and 2,000 reconnaissance and air intelligence missions. He said Jordan was involved in 20 percent of those missions.

In addition, Jabour spoke about the strategy of the war on the IS, based on targeting centres of gravity, particularly IS leaders, including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as well as limiting the group's oil sales.

Jordan began increasing its participation in the US-led alliance after the IS group murdered Kassasbegh last week, with Jordan's king, Abdullah, saying his country would destroy the group.