King meets with top brass as air force continues anti-IS strikes

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), visited the army’s headquarters on Thursday.

The King was received by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben, HRH Prince Feisal and top brass.
During the visit, the King was briefed on JAF-related issues, according to a Royal Court statement.

Meanwhile, the Royal Jordanian Air Force continued on Thursday its strikes against the so-called Islamic State after the terror group brutally killed captured pilot Muath Kasasbeh, a JAF statement said. The fighters returned unharmed, it added.

Zaben was in Baghdad on Wednesday, where he held talks with top officials and conveyed a “message of support” to Iraq in its fight against IS.

He told reporters after the meeting with Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi that Jordan can respond to any danger “in less than one hour”, without resorting to ground operations, stressing that the Kingdom’s borders are 100 per cent safe.

Zaben, who is also His Majesty King Abdullah’s military adviser, also asserted that any redeployment of military units within Jordan’s borders “is a sovereign decision”.

The army chief also warned that anyone who may consider launching any attacks on Jordanian territory “will face death”.