UAE suspends airstrikes

The UAE suspended its participation in air strikes on Islamic State in December, after Jordanian pilot Muath Al-Kasasbeh was captured by the extremists, according to unnamed US officials quoted by The New York Times (NYT) on 3 February. The news comes a day after it emerged that Kasasbeh, whose F-16 crashed over north-eastern Syria, was burnt alive by members of Islamic State. According to the NYT, the UAE – whose joining of the coalition against Islamic State was much publicised – wants the Pentagon to improve its search and rescue efforts, in case other pilots are downed.