French hostage Herve Gourdel beheaded in Algeria

Extremists linked to the Isis Islamist group beheaded a French hostage, Herve Gourdel, in a video posted online on the 24 September 2014, carrying out their threat to kill him unless France stopped its air strikes in Iraq within 24 hours.

French President Francois Hollande condemned the killing as a 'cruel and cowardly' act.

France would continue to carry out air strikes against the Islamic State organisation (IS) in Iraq until the country’s army could gain the upper hand against the militants, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls vowed on the 24 September 2014.

IS itself had already beheaded three Western hostages since August 2014: US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid worker David Haines. Their deaths were all filmed and posted online.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: France to host conference on Iraq http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-to-host-conference-on-iraq/

ESO: Background information: Six EU countries join group to 'destroy' Islamic State http://www.europeansources.info/record/six-eu-countries-join-group-to-destroy-islamic-state/

France24, 24.09.14: France to continue IS strikes ‘for as long as needed’ http://www.france24.com/en/20140924-france-continue-strikes-long-needed-is-Iislamic-state-iraq/

France24, 24.09.14: IS-linked group threatens France with hostage video http://www.france24.com/en/20140923-terrorism-france-algeria-jund-al-khalifa-kidnapping-islamic-state/

The Local.fr, 24.09.14: Islamic militants behead French hostage http://www.thelocal.fr/20140924/fate-of-french-hostage-remains-unknown

ESO: Background information: Cameron hails David Haines as 'British hero' and vows to hunt down killers http://www.europeansources.info/record/cameron-hails-david-haines-as-british-hero-and-vows-to-hunt-down-killers/

BBC News, 25.09.14: French hostage beheading: President Hollande holds crisis talks http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29360788

Euronews, 24.09.14: French PM defends airstrikes against ISIL http://www.euronews.com/2014/09/24/french-pm-defends-airstrikes-against-isil/

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 25.09.14: Frenchman killed by jihadists http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER150991-Frenchman-killed-by-jihadists

France24, 25.09.14: Hollande blasts ‘cowardly’ murder of French hostage in Algeria http://www.france24.com/en/20140924-algeria-france-hostage-killed-islamic-state-jund-khalifa/

Deutsche Welle, 25.09.14: 'This is completely different': France reacts to beheading of Herve Gourdel in Algeria http://dw.de/p/1DKrn

The Local.fr, 25.09.14: France's Muslims decry beheading of tourist http://www.thelocal.fr/20140925/muslims-france-beheading-gourdel-algeria-isis

EU: EEAS: Press Release, 24.09.14: Statement by the Spokesperson on the murder of Hervé Gourdel http://www.eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2014/140924_02_en.pdf

France24, 25.09.14: France steps up security over terrorism threat http://www.france24.com/en/20140925-france-heightened-security-terrorism-threat/

Deutsche Welle, 25.09.14: Algeria's shock at beheading of Frenchman Gourdel http://dw.de/p/1DL2w

France24, 02.10.14: Algeria seeks 15 suspects in Frenchman’s beheading http://www.france24.com/en/20141002-algeria-seeks-15-suspects-frenchman-beheading-gourdel/

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