ISIS Extends Deadline: Fates of Jordan Pilot, Japanese Reporter Unknown

January 29th, 2015

David Schulberg

A potential prisoner exchange between ISIS and Jordan was put on hold today, with Jordanian officials demanding proof that captured pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh was still alive.

The ISIS deadline has since passed, and there are reports ISIS has since extended it to sundown on Thursday. Exactly where the trade of Kasaesbeh and Japanese reporter Goto Kenji for Jordanian prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi remains is totally unclear.

Jordan had previously suggested they were open to the exchange then put it on hold at the last minute, while ISIS has continued to insist the exchange needs to be carried out immediately.

Reports earlier in the day were that Jordan had already released Rishawi to Iraqi tribal leaders, though the Jordanian FM has insisted that is not true. There seems to be a lot more rumor than uncertainty right now, and we might not have a conclusive report on what really happened for some time.