Islamic State Release New British Hostage Video

Islamic State (IS) have released a new video featuring British hostage John Cantlie which shows him in the embattled Syrian city of Kobani and speaking in an apparently scripted manner.

The 43-year-old British photojournalist, who has been held captive for over two years, said IS militants were "mopping up" against Kurdish fighters and the battle for city was "coming to an end."

The video has been produced to imitate a news report and features footage shot from a drone. Mr Cantlie is shown addressing the camera dressed all in black and is seen walking through the war-torn streets which he says are in Kobani on the Turkish border.

In the apparently scripted footage, Mr Cantlie said Western media groups including the BBC and The Independent were reporting information from the White House and Kurdish army commanders, "neither of whom have the slightest intentions of telling the truth".

He said: "Now the battle for Kobani is coming to an end. The mujahideen are just mopping up now, street to street, and building to building."

Mr Cantlie's sister, Jessica Cantlie, has previously appealed for "direct contact" with the militants holding him.

Since August, IS has filmed and posted online the deaths of four Western hostages.

UK aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines and American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded on camera by the jihadi organisation, which is also known as Isis or Isil.