ANKARA
Turkey has strongly condemned the "barbarous" murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.
"It is with great sorrow that we learn that DAESH [Arabic acronym for ISIL] executed Haruna Yukawa, one of the two Japanese hostages," said Turkish Foreign Ministry in a written statement on Sunday.
The ministry described the terrorist incident as a "barbarous act" and offered condolences to the deceased man's family and to the nation of Japan at large.
A video posted online on Jan. 20 appeared to show an ISIL militant with the two Japanese hostages kneeling in orange jumpsuits, ominously reminiscent of the extremist group’s past execution videos.
Authorities in Japan scrambled overnight on Saturday to verify a new video that emerged purporting to show that one of two Japanese hostages held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been executed, while leaving the life of the other hostage in limbo.
The world leaders have been accepting Yukawa’s death on face value. United States President Barack Obama said he "strongly condemns the brutal murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa," while Abe said, "I feel a strong sense of anger."
Turkish Foreign Ministry also reiterated the country's enduring support to international solidarity against all terrorist groups.
