Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old American aid worker has died at the hands of Isis, it was confirmed today by her family. She was captured by extremists in 2013, shortly after leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria, and was detained up until her death. She is the last known American hostage to be taken by Isis.
Before travelling to Syria, she recorded a YouTube video to show her compassion for the people who were displaced, injured or otherwise impacted by the civil war there: ‘I am in solidarity with the Syrian people. I reject the brutality and killing that the Syrian authorities are committing against the Syrian people.’
You can watch it here:
The Mueller family today released a letter written by Kayla in 2014, sent to them via cell mates who have since been released. It reads, reports the BBC: ‘I DO NOT want the negotiations for my release to be your duty, if there is any other option take it, even if it takes more time. This should never have become your burden… None of us could have known it would be this long but I know I am also fighting from my side in the ways I am able.’
READ MORE: Isis Is Holding A 26-Year-Old American Woman Hostage
Isis had confirmed Kayla’s death on Friday, saying that she had been killed by a Jordanian airstrike. However, the organisation only provided a photo of some rubble to prove their claims. The terrorist group then sent photos to Kayla’s body to her family at the weekend to confirm her death, although, this new information doesn’t make it any clearer how she died, a source told CNN.
‘We are heartbroken to share that we've received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller, has lost her life,’ her family said in a statement.
‘Kayla was a compassionate and devoted humanitarian. She dedicated the whole of her young life to helping those in need of freedom, justice, and peace.’
Barack Obama released a statement to say: ‘Kayla’s compassion and dedication to assisting those in need shows us that even amongst unconscionable evil, the essential decency of humanity can live on.’
David Cameron also insisted in his statement that ISIS (or Isil or whatever you want to call them) was behind her death: ‘…those responsible for her death are the brutal Isil terrorists that kidnapped her and tormented her in her captivity. As the Americans have said we will do all we can to bring those responsible for her death to account.’
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.