Kayla Mueller’s brother: Swap with Taliban raised IS demands

Islamic State militants who held American aid worker Kayla Mueller increased demands for her release after the US agreed to swap an Army soldier for five Taliban prisoners, her brother said on the U.S. television network NBC. The controversial prisoner exchange involving Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl and the Afghan Taliban occurred less than a year after Ms Mueller was captured by IS in Aleppo, Syria.

The president is confident that his administration did do everything that was possible within the confines of that policy - using our military might, using our intelligence capability, using our diplomatic influence - to try to secure the safe release and return of Kayla Mueller.

Josh Earnest, White House spokesman

The White House has defended the swap, insisting that the United States has a sacred commitment to men and women who serve that it will never leave anyone behind on the battlefield. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Mueller family had been put in a difficult position by the U.S. policy against making concessions to terrorists, but he defended it as being in the best interests of the nation. Bergdahl was freed last May after five years in captivity. The 28-year-old faces possible desertion charges over allegations he had abandoned his post prior to his capture in June 2009.

We always had that little bit of hope that we would always get her home.

Marsha Mueller, mother of IS hostge Kayla Mueller

Politics Kayla Mueller