Two al-Qaeda prisoners executed by Jordan

Jordan executed two al-Qaeda prisoners before dawn, just hours after an online video purported to show Islamic State group militants burning a captured Jordanian pilot to death in a cage.

The gruesome death of 26-year-old Lt. Muath Al-Kaseasbeh, captured while participating in airstrikes by a US-led coalition targeting the militants, sparked outrage across the Middle East and anti-Islamic State protests in Jordan.

King Abdullah II, a staunch Western ally, rushed back to Jordan, cutting short a Washington trip to try to persuade his people to support an even tougher line against the militants. Rallying such backing is pivotal for Jordan’s continued role in the coalition.