英语文摘:UN Security Council slams killing of British aid worker

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned "the heinous and cowardly murder" of Alan Henning, a volunteer British aid worker, by the Islamic State (IS).

"This crime is a tragic reminder of the increasing dangers volunteer humanitarian personnel face every day in Syria. It also once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of abuses against the Syrian and Iraqi people," said the council in a press statement, using another acronym for the terrorist organization.

The council members stressed again that the IS must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out.

They emphasized that such continued acts of barbarism do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve that there has to be a common effort among governments and institutions to counter the IS, Al-Nusra Front and all other al-Qaeda-linked entities.

The 15-nation body recalled their demand that all parties involved in an armed conflict comply fully with the obligations applicable to them under international humanitarian law, including respecting and protecting all humanitarian personnel.

The council members underlined the need to bring perpetrators of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and stressed that those responsible for the killing of Henning shall be held accountable.

"The members of the Security Council demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with al-Qaeda," the statement said.

The IS militant group has claimed responsibility for the beheading of Henning, an aid worker who was held since 2013 by the militants. He was on an aid convoy for Syrian refugees when he was captured by the terrorists.

The extremist militants have beheaded two U.S. journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid worker David Haines, and showed the horrifying process to the world in online video footage.