Death of Islamic State Hostage Confirmed by Family, Obama

The family of the U.S. hostage suspected of being killed in Syria has confirmed the death of their loved one this week.

The family of Kayla Mueller, an aid worker from Prescott, Arizona, has confirmed that the 26-year-old is dead. Mueller was kidnapped by the Islamic State in Aleppo, Syria in 2013, and the terrorist group recently claimed that she had been killed when Jordan-led airstrikes hit the building she was being kept in in Syria last week.

"We are heartbroken to share that we've received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller has lost her life," Mueller's parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, as well as her brother Eric and his family said in joint statement.

"We are so proud of the person Kayla was and the work that she did while she was here with us. She lived with purpose," the statement added.

It has not been confirmed whether Mueller died in the recent airstrike, as the Islamic State is claiming, or whether she died in a different way. The statement from the Mueller family went on to describe Kayla's extensive experience in helping others, saying that the "common thread of Kayla's life has been her quiet leadership and strong desire to serve others."

President Barack Obama issued a statement mourning Kayla's death, saying the 26-year-old aid worker "represents what is best about America, and expressed her deep pride in the freedoms that we Americans enjoy, and that so many others strive for around the world."

"No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla's captivity and death," the president added.