Turkey condemns beheading of Japanese journalist

ANKARA

Turkey’s Deputy PM Yalcin Akdogan has strongly condemned on Sunday what seems to be the latest video depicting a hostage’s beheading.

A video apparently showing the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, 47, by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, was released online Saturday night.

Describing the act as “brutal terrorism,” Akdogan offered his condolences to Goto’s family, the Japanese government and all the Japanese people.

Goto, 47, was captured by the group known as ISIL, in late October and had been held with fellow Japanese Haruna Yukawa, who was killed last week. Goto had reportedly travelled to Syria to help release Yukawa after he was seized in August.

Akdogan said that violence against journalists was “unacceptable.”

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the apparent execution of the Japanese hostage in a statement, saying: “Terrorism is a crime against humanity.”