The United Arab Emirates halted their airstrikes against the ISIS soon after a Jordanian pilot was taken hostage, a US official told Sputnik on Wednesday.

“I can confirm that UAE suspended airstrikes shortly after the Jordanian pilot's plane went down,” the official said, adding that UAE continues to be important and valuable partner of the United States “that is contributing to the [anti-IS] coalition.”

On Tuesday, ISIS militants posted images on social media showing Jordanian pilot Muath Kasaesbeh being burned alive. Jordanian state television reported that the execution took place on January 3.

Kasaesbeh had been held hostage by ISIS militants since December 2014, when his plane crashed in ISIS-controlled territory in Syria.

On June 13, 2014 Major Mariam al-Mansouri, the first female pilot to join the Emirates Air Forces "led the squadron" of UAE fighter jets that participated in raids targeting ISIS terrorists in Syria as part of the US-led campaign against extremists.