Update | Severed head in Islamic State video said to be remains of Peter Kassig
Islamic State clip shows militant saying victim was Peter Kassig, kidnapped in Syria in 2013
The Islamic State jihadist group last night released another video claiming to have executed Peter Kassig, a US aid worker kidnapped in Syria, as a warning to the United States.
The same video also showed the gruesome beheadings of at least 18 men described as Syrian military personnel, the latest in a series of mass executions carried out by Islamic State.
"This is Peter Edward Kassig, a US citizen of your country," said a black-clad militant wearing a balaclava - the same outfit worn by the man dubbed "Jihadi John", who is believed to have beheaded two journalists and two aid workers in earlier videos.
It was unclear when the footage was taken and whether the video was released in a bid to hose down reports that British-accented Jihadi John was injured in a US air strike while attending a meeting in an Iraqi town last week.
Kassig's parents Ed and Paula Kassig, who were last night waiting for official confirmation of their son's death, said in a statement: "We are aware of the news reports being circulated about our treasured son and are waiting for confirmation from the government as to the authenticity of these reports."