High-Ranking Terrorist Asks Islamic State To Free American Captive

A jihadist associated with al-Qaeda has reportedly asked the Islamic State to spare the life of an American captive.

Abu Omar Aqidi of the Syrian terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra reportedly sent a tweet to Islamic State militants, imploring them to spare the life of American Peter Kassig, who has been held in captivity by the terrorist group since October 2013.

Omar Aqibi, a high-ranking member of al-Nusra, wrote in the tweet that Kassig, who has reportedly converted to Islam, has helped Islamic State militants with wounds during clashes with Syrian government forces. Omar Aqibi recalled a particular time when Kassig reportedly removed shrapnel from his leg, writing that the captive "performed a successful operation under bombardment by the [Syrian] regime."

Aqibi also wrote that Kassig successfully treated "Abu Dujana," known to be one of the main leaders of al-Nusra in Syria. He also tweeted that at first he thought Kassig was a jihadist, but later learned he was a humanitarian worker who treated both civilians and fighters.

"It later became clear to me that he's an humanitarian activist that served in Deir Al-Zour for more than a year and was then kidnapped by ISIS,' the militant said.

The Islamic State recently presented Kassig in one of its videos threatening his beheading if the U.S. does not end its airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

According to The Telegraph, several other jihadists have also spoken out in Kassig's defense, pointing to the fact that the humanitarian aid worker has converted to Islam and now goes by the name Abdul-Rahman Kassig.