WASHINGTON: The Islamic State released a video on Tuesday showing a masked militant beheading another American journalist and threatening to kill a British captive.

The footage, identified by private terrorism monitor SITE and seen by AFP, shows 31-year-old freelance writer Steven Sotloff dressed in orange and on his knees in a desert landscape.

The masked militant condemns US attacks on the Islamic State and cuts Sotloff's throat. He then introduces a second captive, identified by name and said to be British.

“I'm back, Obama, and I'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State,” the militant says, in apparent reference to a previous video in which US journalist James Foley was murdered.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he had not been aware of the report before taking the podium at his daily briefing, but added that the administration's “thoughts and prayers” were with Sotloff's family.

Opinion

Editorial

A breakthrough?
07 May, 2026

A breakthrough?

The whole world would welcome an end to this pointless war.
Missed opportunity
07 May, 2026

Missed opportunity

A BIG opportunity to industrialise Pakistan has just passed us by. This has been reconfirmed by the investment...
Punishing dissent
07 May, 2026

Punishing dissent

THE Sindh government’s treatment of the Aurat March this week was a disgraceful assault on democratic rights. What...
The May war
Updated 06 May, 2026

The May war

Rationality demands that both states come to the table and discuss their grievances, and their solutions in a mature manner.
Looking inwards
06 May, 2026

Looking inwards

REGULAR appraisals by human rights groups and activists should not be treated by the authorities as attempts to ...
Feeling the heat
06 May, 2026

Feeling the heat

ANOTHER heatwave season has begun, and once again, the state is scrambling to respond to conditions it has long been...