Jordan Calls Islamic State's Claim of American Hostage's Death a 'PR Stunt'

Jordan officials are arguing that recent claims by the Islamic State that an American hostage was killed during an airstrike are merely a "PR stunt."

The Islamic State claimed Friday that an American hostage it had been holding, 26-year-old Kayla Mueller, had been killed in Raqqa after Jordanian-led airstrikes collapsed the building she was being kept in. Mueller is an American aid worker who was kidnapped in Syria in 2013.

The statement released by the Islamic State claimed that Mueller was allegedly killed by "fire of the shells dropped on the site."

"The failed Jordanian aircraft killed an American female hostage," said the terrorist group's message. "No mujahid was injured in the bombardment, and all praise is due to Allah," referencing the word for jihadist fighter in Arabic.

Jordan, which has been carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, denied the terrorist group's claims, calling it a "PR stunt" to pit the U.S. against Jordan in their allied fight to defeat the terrorist group.

Jordanian Interior Minister Hussein Majali described the claim to CNN as "another PR stunt by ISIS."

"They tried to cause problems internally in Jordan and haven't succeeded," Majali said. "They are now trying to drive a wedge between the coalition with this latest low PR stunt."

Jordan began airstrikes against the Islamic State after the terrorist group posted a video earlier this week showing the live burning of Jordanian pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, who had been taken hostage by the group after his fighter plane went down near Raqqa.