The Islamic State released a video today that showed the beheading of a US journalist held hostage, Steven Sotloff, reports the BBC.

Sotloff, who disappeared in Syria in 2013, appeared at the end of a video last month which showed the killing of another US journalist James Foley.

The video released today, entitled “A second message to America”, shows a masked figure together with Sotloff.

The Islamic State militant, addressing his speech to the US President Barack Obama said,

“I’m back Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State, despite our serious warnings. We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter the evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone.”

The militant, whose voice also featured in the video of the beheading of US journalist James Foley, is believed to be British.

The video also carries a warning to the UK, that the execution of a British citizen would be next.

A White House spokesperson, though unable to verify the credibility of the video, condemned the Islamic State actions as a “brutal act.”

“Our thoughts and prayers, first and foremost, are with Mr Sotloff and Mr Sotloff’s family and those who worked with him. I’m not in a position to confirm the authenticity of that video or the reports. If there Is a video that’s been released. It’s something that will be analysed very carefully by the US government and out intelligence officials to establish its authenticity," said the spokesperson.

The US launched over 120 air strikes in Iraq last month, in attempts to help Kurdish forces stop advances of IS and protect minorities from ethnic cleansing.

UN to send mission to investigate mass atrocities in Iraq

The United Nations, on Monday, agreed to send investigators to Iraq to look into mass atrocities committed by Islamic State militants, reports Reuters.

The announcement came after diplomats gathered at the UN Human Rights Council in an emergency session to debate action in Iraq.

The UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights said there was "strong evidence" Islamic State had carried out targeted killings, forced conversions, sexual abuse and torture in Iraq.

Flavia Pansieri voiced further concerns at the persecution of Christians, Yazidis, Shia and Turkmen communities, adding that such “ethnic and religious cleansing” may amount to crimes against humanity.
The US envoy to the council, Keith Harper urged Iraq’s Prime Minister, to form a multi-ethnic government that would investigate allegations against government forces.

Amnesty document more evidence of ethnic cleansing

Amnesty International released new evidence of several mass killings that amount to ethnic cleansing in Northern Iraq by the Islamic State. 

A report published on Tuesday entitled, Ethnic cleansing on Historic scale: the Islamic State’s systematic targeting of minorities in northern Iraq, revealed witness testimonies of survivors from the Islamic State’s advances in the region.

Commenting on the report, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser, said,

“The massacres and abductions being carried out by the Islamic State provide harrowing new evidence that a wave of ethnic cleansing against minorities is sweeping across northern Iraq.”

“The Islamic State is carrying out despicable crimes and has transformed rural areas of Sinjar into blood-soaked killing fields in its brutal campaign to obliterate all trace of non- Arabs and non-Sunni Muslims,” added Donatella Rovera.