Jordan demands proof hostage still alive

Jordan demanded proof last night that a pilot threatened with execution by the Islamic State group was alive, as a deadline set by the jihadists to free a female militant expired.

IS had vowed to kill airman Maaz al-Kassasbeh unless Iraqi jihadist Sajida al-Rishawi was handed over at the Turkish border in return for captured Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

The extremist group had set a deadline of sunset yesterday for the exchange, but there was no news of the hostages after night fell over parts of Iraq and Syria where IS is based.