WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (APP/Reuters) - The United States welcomes a decision by the United Arab Emirates to base its F-16 fighter jets in Jordan for operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said on Monday.

The UAE had suspended flights as part of the U.S. led coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State in view of concerns about search and rescue capabilities after a Jordanian pilot was downed and captured.

UAE fighters would now join raids from inside Jordan, a Jordanian army source said on Saturday.

APP/Reuters