Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood Decries Kerry Visit

Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday denounced a recent visit to the Hashemite Kingdom by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordan's possible inclusion in a global coalition mandated with combating the militant Islamist State group.



The Brotherhood said it opposed the use of Jordanian territory by the international coalition now being built by the U.S. to confront the Islamic State presence in Iraq and Syria.



The Islamic Work Front Party, the political arm of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, denounced Kerry's visit to Jordan, saying it was part of U.S. efforts to build an international alliance against the Islamic State.



The party rejected what it described as "international pressures" being heaped on Jordan to take part in a war "that is not its own."



Kerry visited Jordan on Wednesday following a visit to Iraq. He was in Saudi Arabia the following day, where he met with the foreign ministers of 11 regional states to discuss measures being taken against the Islamic State and plans for a global coalition.



The meeting comes hard on the heels of an announcement by U.S. President Barak Obama regarding a comprehensive strategy for fighting terrorism in the Middle East.



The U.S., for its part, hopes to form a 40-nation alliance to combat the militant group.



The Islamic State is comprised of militants – including a number of foreign fighters – who recently managed to capture large swathes of territory in both Iraq and Syria and have ambitions to establish an "Islamic Caliphate."



However, recent atrocities committed by the militants – including the beheading of opponents – have served to appall observers across the world.



By Hamza al-Ekila



englishnews@aa.com.tr



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