PHOTO GALLERY: Seething with anger, Jordanians rally around king after ISIS murder of pilot
Crowds massed near the main Husseini mosque, then marched chanting "Death to Daesh."
By REUTERSProtesters hold up pictures of Jordanian King Abdullah and pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh with national flags(photo credit: REUTERS)
Thousands of Jordanians packed the streets of the capital Amman on Friday, urging their monarch to step up air strikes on Islamic State to avenge its killing of pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh.
Jordanian police women stand guard near a Jordanian national flag during a rally in loyalty to the King and against the Islamic State (photo credit: REUTERS)A Royal Jordanian Air Force plane takes off from an air base to strike the Islamic State (photo credit: REUTERS)Saif al-Kasaesbeh (3rd R), father of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, prays at the family's clan headquarters with other mourners in the city of Karak (photo credit: REUTERS)Protesters hold up pictures of Jordanian King Abdullah and pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh with national flags (photo credit: REUTERS)A Jordanian protester kisses a poster bearing the image of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh during a rally to show their loyalty to King Abdullah (photo credit: REUTERS)A Royal Jordanian Air Force plane takes off from an air base to strike the Islamic State in the Syrian city of Raqqa (photo credit: REUTERS)Jordan's Queen Rania (C) offers her condolences to the family of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh (photo credit: REUTERS)Protesters hold up pictures of Jordan's King Abdullah and pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh as they chant slogans during a rally in Amman (photo credit: REUTERS)Jordan's King Abdullah (L) offers his condolences to Safi al-Kasaesbeh, the father of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh (photo credit: REUTERS)A bomb with Koranic verses is pictured on a Royal Jordanian Air Force plane at an air base before it's launch to strike the Islamic State in the Syrian city of Raqqa (photo credit: REUTERS)
Crowds massed near the main Husseini mosque, then marched chanting "Death to Daesh," using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group, in the latest sign of mounting public anger.The rally came three days after Islamic State released a video purporting to show Kasaesbeh being burned alive in a cage as masked militants in camouflage uniforms looked on.Many Jordanians have opposed their country's involvement in US-led air campaign against Islamic State positions, fearing retaliation. But the killing of the recently-married pilot, from an influential Jordanian tribe, has increased support for the military push.Jordanian fighter jets pounded Islamic State targets in Syria on Thursday, before roaring Kasaesbeh's hometown.Queen Rania, the wife of King Abdullah, joined Friday's marchers, carrying a picture of the pilot."Mouath died standing for his country and faith, defending our common humanity. We are united in our grief and pride in our brave martyr," she told Reuters in a statement."Jordan is united in its resolve to confront this ideology of terror and ultra-violence," she added.Protesters wearing the red Arab Bedouin headdress, chanted: "We sacrifice our souls for you O'Majesty.""All of Jordan's people are behind you Your Majesty," read a placard by a group of tribal Jordanians who came to the country's northern Bedouin areas of Mafraq.Hundreds of mosques in Jordan held prayers for the pilot. Clerics attacked the hardline group describing it as un-Islamic and said its brutal means made many turn against it.
