Herve Gourdel's execution has been confirmed by the French government today, noting that an Algerian jihadist group was responsible for the death of the mountaineering guide, The Wire has learned.
According to an update from the French government, Herve Hourdel was executed after France failed to comply with the jihadist group's request for the country to stop the air strikes on IS in Iraq.
Prior to Herve Gourdel's execution, the Caliphate soldiers released a video threatening the French government that the Algerian militants are going to kill the French tourist if they don't halt the air strikes against the Islamic State.
The Caliphate Soldiers are reportedly related to both al Qaeda and ISIS.
In the video entitled "Message of blood for the French government," Gourdel could be heard saying, "President François Hollande, I am Hervé Gourdel, a mountain guide from the French town of Nice."
After delivering his message, the terrorists threatened to behead Gourdel and left a message directed to the French government for them to stop its military motions against ISIS within 24 hours, noted Mirror.
Today, upon confirming Herve Gourdel's execution, France denied paying for French hostages to be released by the group of terrorists.
Nevertheless, several media outlets found out that the embattled country has actually paid millions to secure the return of some of their citizens who were held hostage by the al Qaeda and their splinter groups.
It is however unclear whether France attempted to pay a ransom payment for the release of Gourdel.
French President Francois Hollande condemned the execution of the mountain guide as "cruel and cowardly" of the armed militants.
Hollande even insisted that despite the beheading of Herve, the French air strikes on IS in Iraq are still bound to continue, reported the BBC.
"It is not weakness that should be the response to terrorism but force," the French President said, adding that the fight against terrorism knows no borders.
Since August, the Islamic State has beheaded three Western hostages: US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines.
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