Islamists kill 7 foreign hostages in Nigeria

GlobalPost

An Islamist militant group claims it has killed seven foreign hostages kidnapped last month in Nigeria.

The claims made by the Al Qaeda-affiliated group Ansaru are credible, the Greek and Italian foreign ministries said in statements today.

"The verifications carried out in coordination with the other interested countries lead us to believe that the news of the killing of the hostages is founded," the Italian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This is a horrific act of terrorism for which there is no explanation except barbaric and blind violence," the statement read, according to Agence France-Presse.

The hostages from Italy, Britain, Greece and Lebanon were captured in a Feb. 7 raid on a construction site in the northern state of Bauchi, BBC News reported.

The security guard was shot and killed. At least two of the workers were women.

Nigerian authorities told Reuters they had no information on any such killing.

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