New ISIS VIDEO appears to show beheading of US aid worker Peter Kassig: Parents release emotional statement

A masked jihadist today issued a chilling threat to the West in a video purporting to show the severed head of a U.S. aid worker and a mass murder of Syrian soldiers.

Speaking in the now-familiar London accent of Islamic State executioner-cum-spokesman Jihadi John, the militant issues the bloodcurdling threat in the group's latest propaganda video.

Later in the same video, which emerged today, it is claimed that another Western hostage, the aid worker and former U.S. army ranger Peter Kassig, has also been executed.

A severed head said to Mr Kassig's is shown at the end of the near 16-minute long clip, which was uploaded to video sharing sites and publicised via Twitter.

Footage shows the victims being led to a place in the desert by uniformed jihadis who each pick up a knife before sawing off victims' heads. The militants claim U.S. soldiers will meet a similar fate.

Peter Kassig's parents today issued an emotional statement following the apparent beheading of their 'treasured' son at the hands of Islamic State militants.

In the release, Ed and Paula Kassig, of Indianapolis, said they hoped the 26-year-old war veteran would be remembered for his 'important work' and the love he shared with his friends and family.

They added that they were waiting for the U.S. Government to verify the authenticity of a 16-minute long ISIS propaganda video purporting to show a militant standing over Peter's severed head.

'We are aware of the news reports being circulated about our treasured son and are waiting for confirmation from the government as to the authenticity of these reports,' said Mr and Mrs Kassig. 

'We prefer our son is written about and remembered for his important work and the love he shared with friends and family, not in the manner the hostage takers would use to manipulate Americans and further their cause.

'The family respectfully asks that the news media avoid playing into the hostage takers’ hands and refrain from publishing or broadcasting photographs or video distributed by the hostage takers.'

The video claiming to show Peter's severed head - which was released by the terror group on Sunday morning - also featured the graphic mass murder of dozens of Syrian soldiers and airmen.