U.S. moves rescue assets to Iraq in fight against Islamic State

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has sent search and rescue assets to northern Iraq in recent days, bolstering its ability to recover coalition personnel in the U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The deployments follow a decision by the United Arab Emirates to suspend its participation in coalition air strikes in December over pilot safety concerns after a Jordanian pilot was captured by the group in Syria. He was later executed.