Islamic State claims it has beheaded U.S. hostage Peter Kassig

CAIRO - Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria claimed in a video posted online on Sunday that they had beheaded American hostage Peter Kassig.

The video did not show the beheading but showed a masked man standing with a decapitated head covered in blood lying at his feet.

Speaking in English in a British accent, the man says: "This is Peter Edward Kassig, a U.S. citizen."

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage, which appeared on a jihadist website and on Twitter feeds used by Islamic State.

The video also shows a number of other people being beheaded.