Captured Jordanian pilot Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh was burned alive by vicious ISIS militants in a video released on social media on Tuesday. The 26-year-old pilot, Kasasbeh, was seized in December after his plane crashed down in Raqqa, Syria while on an offensive mission.
The appalling burning video of the Jordanian pilot came after a week-long negotiations for a possible prisoner exchange and the beheading of Japanese hostages. According to USA Today, the incident took place Jan. 3 while the video was just released on Tuesday.
Following ISIS' brutal act of incinerating the captured Jordanian pilot, Jordan vowed to avenge Kasasbeh's death. And in response to the gruesome video, Jordanian authorities said they executed two prisoners, Sajida al Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouli, early Wednesday.
Al Rishawi has been on the death row for the 2005 triple hotel bombing and was the one to be swapped in exchange of Kasasbeh's freedom, Fox News revealed. While al-Karbouli was a former aide to Jordanian al-Qaida operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in 2006.
Despite the execution of two terrorist prisoners, Jordan still promises for an "earth-shattering" retribution. BBC News reported Jordanian armed forces spokesperson Mamdouh al-Ameri said Jordanian pilot Kasasbeh had "fallen as a martyr."
"Revenge will be as huge as the loss of Jordanians," al-Ameri added. While Kasasbeh's father, Safia, urged the government of Jordan to do more than just executing the prisoners.
"I ask that this should not end with Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad Karbouli," Safia said in an interview. "I expect the government to seek revenge, severe revenge for the blood of Moaz against this horrid organization, this criminal organization, this organization that is far from Islam and the spirit of Islam."
King Abdullah II of Jordan has also sworn to launch an all-out war against ISIS to avenge the death of the burned Jordanian pilot.
"We are waging this war to protect our faith, our values and human principles and our war for their sake will be relentless and will hit them in their own ground," Jordan's king said.
While government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momami said Jordan are doing some talks to eliminate the Islamic State jihadists, Reuters reported.
"We are talking about a collaborative effort between coalition members to intensify efforts to stop extremism and terrorism to undermine, degrade and eventually finish Daesh (a derogatory Arabic word used for ISIS)," al-Momani stated.
As Jordan promised for grave retaliation after the ruthless death of a Jordanian pilot, CNN said ISIS appeared unbothered by the condemnation and outrage.
"ISIS doesn't really care very much about the reactions it gets from Arab or foreign governments," Middle East analyst Rami Khouri said. "They're on a mission to carry out their barbaric deed."
