ANKARA
Turkey strongly condemned the execution of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasba Wednesday by the terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group.
"We have learned with great sorrow that Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasba was executed by Daeash (Arabic acronym for ISIL)," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a written statement. "We condemn this barbaric terrorist act and extend our condolences to the family of al-Kasasba, to the Jordanian government and to the Jordanian people."
Turkey said it will continue to stand with the international community in fighting terrorism.
On Tuesday, a video published online claimed to show al-Kasasba being burnt alive by ISIL.
The video, which has not yet been verified, shows a man wearing an orange suit standing in a cage surrounded by masked and armed men. He is then set on fire.
Al-Kasasba had been captured by ISIL militants after his fighter plane crashed in the Syrian city of Raqqa in December 2014.
Jordanian authorities had tried to secure Al-Kasasba's release, but ISIL initially made his freedom conditional on the release from a Jordanian jail of would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi.
In response to Al-Kasasba's death, Jordan’s interior ministry said that al-Rishawi and her compatriot Ziyad al-Karbouli, who are on death row, were hanged on Wednesday.
