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China vows 'justice' after Isis claims it executed one of its citizens

'China will continue to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with the international community to maintain peace and tranquillity in the world'

Serina Sandhu
Thursday 19 November 2015 12:52 GMT
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Isis claims it has killed Ole-Johan Grimsgaard-Oftsad and Fan Jinghui
Isis claims it has killed Ole-Johan Grimsgaard-Oftsad and Fan Jinghui (AP)

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China has said it will bring justice to those responsible for killing one of its citizens, calling it a “savage act devoid of humanity”.

It comes as Isis said it killed a Chinese and a Norwegian hostage, both of whom were being held for ransom. The claims were made in the militant group's online magazine, Dabiq, on Wednesday.

The Chinese citizen was named as Fan Jinghui, 50, by China’s Foreign Ministry. In September it said one its nationals appeared to have been captured by Isis.

The ministry said: “The Chinese government strongly condemns this savage act devoid of humanity and will certainly bring the criminals to justice.”

“The Chinese government will resolutely oppose all forms of terrorism and resolutely strike at any violent terrorist criminal activities that defy the bottom lines of human culture.”

"China will continue to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with the international community to maintain peace and [tranquillity] in the world."

Hong Lei, the ministry's spokesman said all efforts had been made to save Fan.

China’s president, Xi Jinping, also condemned the killing while speaking in Manila at a regional summit. He told Xinhua news agency: “Terrorists are the common enemy of humankind.”

It is unclear why Fan was in the Middle East but a source told Reuters it seemed that “he wanted to see unusual places and this is probably why he ended up there”.

The Norwegian hostage was named as 48-year-old Ole-Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad.

“There are no excuses for the treatment our countryman has been subjected to, it can’t be found in religion, nor ideology," said Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, according to the BBC.

Additional reporting by agencies

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