{"id":50244,"date":"2014-09-23T08:25:05","date_gmt":"2014-09-23T08:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=50244"},"modified":"2014-09-23T07:28:48","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T07:28:48","slug":"algeria-militants-seize-french-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/09\/algeria-militants-seize-french-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Algeria militants seize French man"},"content":{"rendered":"
A French man has been kidnapped in Algeria by a militant group linked to Islamic State (IS), French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has confirmed.<\/p>\n
Herve Gourdel was seized on Sunday in the unsettled north-east Kabylie area.<\/p>\n
Mr Fabius said an online video that showed Mr Gourdel flanked by armed men, calling on France not to strike IS militants in Iraq, appeared authentic.<\/p>\n
He said France would do everything it could to liberate Mr Gourdel, but that the situation was “extremely critical.”<\/p>\n
Earlier, Islamic State militants warned they would target France – and other countries – after French jets launched air strikes in Iraq against the group.<\/p>\n
IS jihadists have seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes this year.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
‘Extreme cruelty’<\/p>\n
France’s foreign ministry said in a statement: “We confirm the authenticity of the video showing images of French hostage Herve Gourdel, kidnapped in Algeria in the region of Tizi Ozou on Sunday.”<\/p>\n
“The threats made by this terrorist group shows once again the extreme cruelty of [Islamic State] and those who say they are affiliated to it.”<\/p>\n
Speaking in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly, Mr Fabius told reporters: “We will do everything we can to liberate hostages… but a terrorist group cannot change France’s position.”<\/p>\n
The video shows Mr Gourdel flanked by two masked men.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The militants say they are members of the Algerian group Jund al-Khilifa, also known as Soldiers of the Caliphate.<\/p>\n
The group has pledged allegiance to IS. Some reports have also described it as an al-Qaeda splinter group.<\/p>\n
The militants said that they were responding to a call from IS to attack citizens of countries taking part in strikes in Iraq.<\/p>\n
The apparent kidnappers threatened to kill Mr Gourdel unless France ended its military operation.<\/p>\n
‘Everything being done’<\/p>\n
In the video, Mr Gourdel identified himself as a 55-year-old from Nice, southern France.<\/p>\n
Speaking apparently under duress, he said: “This armed group is asking me to ask you [French President Francois Hollande] to not intervene in Iraq.”<\/p>\n