France denounces beheading of British hostage by IS

France Sunday strongly condemned the "heinous murder" of British aid worker David Haines by Sunni extremist group Islamic State (IS), and called for quick action to quell the militants in Iraq and Syria.

"The heinous murder of David Haines shows once again how the international community must mobilise against Daesh (or IS), which was a vile and cowardly organisation," Xinhua quoted President Francois Hollande's office as saying.

Hollande expressed solidarity with Britain and the victim's family, it added.

The IS Saturday released a video of British hostage Haines' beheading, a video similar to those of the recent executions of two US journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, which were also posted online.

 

On Monday, France will host an international conference on Iraq's security crisis to lay out a global strategy to uproot insurgents in the region.

US Secretary of State John Kerry Sunday arrived in Paris after a four-day tour of the Middle East trying to build a coalition to defeat the IS.