UNITED NATIONS, October 4 (RIA Novosti) – The UN Security Council strongly condemns the brutal murder of British citizen Alan Henning by the Islamic State (IS) and stresses the need for accountability of those responsible for the killing, Security Council announced in a press statement.
In its press statement Friday the UN Security Council "strongly condemned the heinous and cowardly murder of Alan Henning, a volunteer British humanitarian aid worker, by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," adding that "it also once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of abuses against the Syrian and Iraqi people."
The members of the Security Council also "stressed that those responsible for the killing of Alan Henning shall be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and all other relevant authorities in this regard."
In addition, Security Council "demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida."
The Security Council members' unanimous statement underlined that such "acts of barbarism" strengthen their commitment to work together to counter ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and other entities associated with Al-Qaida.
Islamic State released a video Friday purportedly showing the beheading of British citizen Alan Henning, an aid volunteer who was taken captive by IS on December 26 after crossing the Turkish border into Syria.
IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has been fighting against the government in Syria since 2012 and advanced into portions of northern Iraq in June 2014. IS continues to wage war in an attempt to establish a caliphate in these areas.
