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Jordan is yet to receive proof of life of its air force officer, two days after ISIL carried out and beheaded two Japanese hostages (above)
Jordanian officials say they have yet to hear from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) after agreeing to the extremist group’s demands that the Kingdom free a death row Al-Qaeda operative in exchange for the release of a downed fighter pilot.
Late on Sunday, Jordanian spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani said that the government was “still ready to hand over” the 2005 captured would-be Al-Qaeda bomber Sajida Al Rishawi in return for air force pilot Muath Al Kaseasbeh. On Monday, Jordan repeated its call for proof that he was still alive.
There has been no response from the extremist group.
Al Kaseasbeh ejected from his F-16 fighter jet after carrying out bombing raids on ISIL positions in Syria on December 24. ISIL says it shot down his aircraft.
Last week, ISIL beheaded two Japanese journalists after Tokyo failed to pay a $200 million ransom. While the two Japanese were still alive, ISIL also demanded the release of Al Rishawi.
Jordanian authorities responded by demanding the Al Kaseasbeh’s release.
The latest ISIL beheadings come after a string of defeats in Syria. Late last week, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters announced that they had ended ISIL’s five-month occupation of the northeastern Syrian town of Kobane (also known as Ain Al Arab).
The fierce fighting – compounded by dozens of US-led Coalition air raids against ISIL positions – left much of the town in rubble.
Kobani was considered to have strategic significance as it would have given ISIL control of territory extending from its self-declared capital of Raqqa, some 90 kilometers to the south, to the Turkish border.
Source: Agencies
