US: Key Arab ally no longer flying airstrikes over Syria
The United Arab Emirates, an important part of the US-led coalition against Islamic State militants, stopped flying combat missions over Syria late last year after a Jordanian pilot was captured, two US officials said Wednesday.
The UAE dropped out of the group of countries conducting airstrikes against IS targets in Syria in December but has remained involved in noncombat roles, the officials said. They spoke only on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced and they were not authorized to speak on the record.
