ISIS: Chinese hostage rescue ‘thwarted’ by France, Russia air strikes in Syria

CHINA called it a “savage act devoid of humanity”. Experts said it was a “game changer”. But it nearly went the other way.

CHINA’S attempts to rescue Islamic State hostage Fan Jinghui were thwarted by French and Russian air strikes against the terror group, it has been claimed.

The revelation follows news last week that Mr Fan was killed by militants alongside 48-year-old Norweigen Ole-Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad.

News of the deaths, which was published in Islamic State’s English magazine, showed the men with bloodied heads, suggesting they had been shot.

The executions sparked an angry response from Beijing which vowed to avenge Mr Fan’s death.

However Beijing had been communicating with the group following a ransom request to Mr Fan’s family, according to Chinese media.

Former war correspondent Qiu Yongzheng, told the social-media account of People’s Daily that IS had made a ransom request to Mr Fan’s family and the Chinese government.

Mr Qiu, who now works for a Chinese think tank, is claiming the hostage was located somewhere around the Anbar province of Iraq and the rescue effort was “making progress”, the South China Morning Post reported.

“But recently, countries such as Russia and France started heavy air strikes against IS, which upset the group’s overall arrangement and original plans,” he is quoted as saying.

“This had led to the interruption of channels to rescue the hostage. Since IS did not receive the money, they killed him.”

France launched fresh air strikes on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in Syria days after attacks in Paris linked to the group killed at least 129 people.

France and Russia have been conducting air strikes against the militant group for weeks, targeting the Syrian city of Raqqa.

The latest military action followed the deaths of at least 129 people in Paris in the worst ever terrorist attacks on French soil, while Moscow launched fresh air raids against IS in Syria after confirming a “terrorist attack” brought down a Russian passenger jet in Egypt last month.

Mr Qui also said the timing of the both men’s executions was politically motivated with the news released around the time of the APEC summit.

A professor at professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, Xie Tao, told media last week if China joined the coalition of countries fighting IS, it would be a big change in their foreign policy, ignoring a decades-old policy of non-intervention and risking giving other countries an option of asking China to take sides in future conflicts.

China's Foreign Ministry confirms Chinese hostage Fan Jinghui killed by #IS Thur, vows to bring criminals to justice pic.twitter.com/XM2OOQ12Yi

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) November 19, 2015

NEGOTIATIONS

There had reportedly been attempts to rescue both men before they were “cruelly murdered,” but despite Mr Qiu’s claims, the official Chinese government line was neither it nor Norway would pay ransoms.

Following news of the executions, China unleashed on the terror group, with its foreign ministry releasing a statement saying it was a “savage act devoid of humanity” and vowed to “bring the criminals to justice.”

“The Chinese government will resolutely oppose all forms of terrorism, resolutely strike at any violent terrorist criminal activities that defy the bottom lines of human culture.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei pictured during a daily briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing.

‘A FREE SPIRIT’

As the dust began to settle over both men’s deaths, more details were emerging surrounding Mr Fan’s life.

It is not yet clear how or when the 50-year-old freelance consultant was kidnapped and whether it took place in Iraq or Syria.

Mr Fan had reportedly been working as a freelancer based in Beijing before he was captured and had told a Chinese radio program he was a “drifter” who hoped to win awards for his advertising work.”

According to Advertising Age, Mr Fan was a “free spirit” who had worked as a high school teacher for around six years before taking up a career in freelance advertising and travelling to the Middle East.

He reportedly told a Chinese radio program he began freelancing in the 1990s and relished the freedom it gave him.

“Youth always pursues freedom … and when you can earn money in freedom, it’s great,” he was quoted as saying.

He also told the program he was”deliberately pursuing this insecurity, because it’s a pleasant feeling for me.”

Advertising stamps surround the doorway of an apartment in Beijing linked to a Chinese man whom the Islamic State group says it has executed.

Asked what his dream was, he told the interviewer that he wanted to win a prize for China at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Mr Fan had registered his own advertising company in 2002, according to AdAge but was identified as a freelance consultant by IS.

In September its online magazine, Dabiq, posted an ad seeking a ransom which showed him wearing a yellow jumpsuit with a swollen eye and holding a sign which read “Chinese prisoner for sale.”

AIRSTRIKES ‘A FAILURE’

Meanwhile IS has released new video claiming that French air strikes targeting the group following the Paris attacks have been a “failure.”

According to the video, released by the media wing of IS in Raqqa on Sunday, French speaking members of the group are pictured speaking in front of damaged buildings and said children and families were injured in the raids.

It is the third video to emerge online from the group in 24 hours.