Islamic State releases another video of British journalist John Cantlie
The photojournalist presents the documentary-style clip in English, claiming that "life in Mosul is business as usual" and that media reports suggesting the city is "depressed" and "living in fear" are "misleading".
According to Human Rights Watch, the country's second largest city was captured by Isis militants during a blitz in June during which they murdered more than 2,000 Shia prisoners and soldiers.
The eight-minute video, which sees 43-year-old Cantlie's visit to a market, a hospital and a police station, purports to paint life in the bomb-hit city as stable.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said, "We are aware of the release of another video and are studying its contents."
In the video, Cantlie tells the camera, "The media likes to paint a picture of life in the Islamic State as depressed, people walking around as subjugated citizens in chains, beaten down by strict, totalitarian rule. But really, apart from some rather chilly but very sunny December weather, life here in Mosul is business as usual."
The hostage has been held captive for more than two years by Isis militants.
The Guardian reported that the last video featuring the photojournalist, released in November, saw him give an account of what he claims was a failed rescue attempt by US forces in July.
In it Cantlie said he accepted "long ago" that his fate was "overwhelmingly likely" to be the same as other captives.
Cantlie's father Paul, 80, died from complications following pneumonia last year. His sister, Jessica Cantlie, has previously appealed for a direct contact with the militants holding him.
Since August, Isis has posted online films of the deaths of four western hostages: UK aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, and American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, who were all beheaded on camera by the jihadi organisation.
Source http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/islamic-state-john-cantlie-releases-video-british-journalist/1/411323.html
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