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| Islamic State: France pledges to keep fighting Isis despite Algeria hostage threats | Islamic State: France pledges to keep fighting Isis despite Algeria hostage threats |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| France has vowed to continue fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq regardless of a video threatening to kill a kidnapped French hiker. | France has vowed to continue fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq regardless of a video threatening to kill a kidnapped French hiker. |
| A pro-Isis splinter group in Algeria abducted the man and two others on Monday, and later released a video saying they would kill the man unless France stopped cooperating with the US on airstrikes. | A pro-Isis splinter group in Algeria abducted the man and two others on Monday, and later released a video saying they would kill the man unless France stopped cooperating with the US on airstrikes. |
| French PM Manuel Valls said on Europe 1 radio that French authorities are "doing everything" to try to free the hostage, but will not negotiate with his captors. | French PM Manuel Valls said on Europe 1 radio that French authorities are "doing everything" to try to free the hostage, but will not negotiate with his captors. |
| He said: "If we cede, if we retreat one inch, that would hand victory to the militants." | He said: "If we cede, if we retreat one inch, that would hand victory to the militants." |
| The video has been confirmed as genuine by the French foreign ministry, which identified the man as 55-year-old mountain guide Herve Gourdel. The other two men were released, and alerted the authorities. | The video has been confirmed as genuine by the French foreign ministry, which identified the man as 55-year-old mountain guide Herve Gourdel. The other two men were released, and alerted the authorities. |
| On Friday, French forces joined the US in carrying out airstrikes against extremists who have taken over large areas of Syria and Iraq. | On Friday, French forces joined the US in carrying out airstrikes against extremists who have taken over large areas of Syria and Iraq. |
| In the video, which appeared on social media, a masked member of a group calling itself Jund al-Khilafah, or Soldiers of the Caliphate, addressed a threat to President Francois Hollande that Mr Gourdel would be killed unless the air strikes were halted within 24 hours. The group, linked to al-Qaeda's North African branch, said it was answering a call by Isis spokesperson Abu Muhammad al-Adnani to attack Americans and Europeans. | |
| In a 42-minute audio statement released on Sunday, al-Adnani urged followers to kill Europeans and Americans, and "especially the spiteful and filthy French". The group has already beheaded two American journalists and a British aid worker. | In a 42-minute audio statement released on Sunday, al-Adnani urged followers to kill Europeans and Americans, and "especially the spiteful and filthy French". The group has already beheaded two American journalists and a British aid worker. |
| Mr Hollande's office said yesterday that the president spoke to Algerian prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal by phone, emphasising the "total co-operation" between France and Algeria to try to find and free the Frenchman. It said authorities in the two countries were in contact. | Mr Hollande's office said yesterday that the president spoke to Algerian prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal by phone, emphasising the "total co-operation" between France and Algeria to try to find and free the Frenchman. It said authorities in the two countries were in contact. |
| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |