New Islamic State video claims beheading of American hostage Peter Kassig

GAZIANTEP, Turkey, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- A video released by the terror group the Islamic State on Sunday is claiming that American hostage Peter Kassig has been beheaded.

According to the New York Times, the footage shows an executioner with a British accent who has been seen in other Islamic State beheading videos. Kassig's execution is not shown, as other recent beheadings have been. Instead, his decapitated head is shown on the ground between the boots of the executioner, who had been dubbed Jihadi John by the British press following earlier execution videos of other prisoners.

The White House announced the video is believed to be genuine.

Kassig is the third American executed by the Islamic State in recent weeks. The others were journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Kassig is a former Army Ranger and EMT who disappeared a year ago in Syria while delivering medical supplies. He is believed to have converted to Islam while in captivity, which some reports maintain was done under duress.

Kassig, 26, had been based in Gaziantep, Turkey, and was abducted while on his way to Syria to deliver medical supplies.

On their Facebook page, his parents, Ed and Paula Kassig, refer to their son as "Abdul-Rahman Kassig formerly known as Peter." On Sunday morning the Kassigs posted a statement about the purported video showing their son'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. We will have no other statement at this time and ask that you please respect our privacy.

"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. 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."