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An Algerian armed group claimed on Monday responsibility for the abduction of a French tourist in the central north of Algeria, according to a video posted on internet by the group.
Earlier on Monday, local media reported that a French tourist who was walking in the area with a group of Algerian friends was likely kidnapped by an armed group.
The video shows the kidnapped French tourist was surrounded by two armed and masked men. The masked man asked French President Francois Hollande to officially halt military intervention in Iraq within the forthcoming 24 hours, otherwise the French hostage would be beheaded.
The armed man presents himself as the spokesman of Abu Mohamad al-Adnani, leader of a group named Jound al-Khilafa (the Caliphate Soldiers), based in Algeria.
He said the members of his group are followers of Islamic State (IS) and they kidnapped the French citizen in response to the call of IS chief, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, to target westerners, including French, in retaliation to the U.S.-led military campaign against IS fiefs in Iraq.
The French hostage also speaks in the video. He introduces himself as Herve Goutard, 50 years old. He says he came to Algeria on Sept. 20, and begs French President to do what he can to save his live.
Earlier on Monday, an IS spokesman urged in a statement the followers of the group to target western citizens, including those of the U.S., France and other countries which have joined the U.S. military campaign aimed to destroy the group.
