One of the two Japanese Hostages beheaded, claims ISIS

ISIS militants claim to have beheaded one of the two Japanese captives, as the 72-hour deadline for ransom concluded on Friday. In a video released by the Islamic State on Saturday, the 47-year-old Journalist Kenji Goto appears holding a photo of allegedly decapitated Haruna Yukawa, a 42-year-old adventurer.

The Militant group had demanded a ransom amount of $200 million from Japan, in a video released earlier. The United States as well as Japanese Agencies are trying to ascertain the authenticity of the video.

Meanwhile, SITE, a US-based Intelligence group said that the video had been distributed across several Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed resolute condemnation on this beheading. Abe offered condolence to the family of the adventurer. “Fully aware of unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am simply left speechless,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after a late-night Cabinet meeting, as reported by the USA Today.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refused to comment on the message in the video and the government is still reviewing it, to ascertain its authenticity.

US President Barack Obama too, condemned the incident and said that the US stands by Japan and calling for Goto’s release.

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About Suyash Karangutkar

Suyash Karangutkar is a young, dedicated and an enthusiastic journalist who has a deep interest in National and International Affairs. He is an ardent political spectator who finds politics fascinating. At Spectralhues, he heads the Mumbai team and covers National Affairs & Politics. He also occasionally writes columns for Spectralhues. He can be followed on Twitter @columnistsuyash