U.S. officials confirmed this week that the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had captured the two notorious members of the ISIS insurgent cell commonly dubbed "The Beatles," which was known for beheading hostages.
Air Force Col. John Thomas said that El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey were captured in early January in eastern Syria. The two men, both from west London, are among four members of the ISIS cell that captured, tortured and beheaded more than two dozen hostages including American journalists Foley and
Steven Sotloff, and American aid worker
Peter Kassig.
The State Department has imposed sanctions on both men. They are believed to be linked to the
British terrorist known as Jihadi John, the masked ISIS militant who appeared in several videos depicting the graphic beheadings of Western hostages. In addition to the Americans, Emwazi was seen in videos showing the murders of British aid workers
David Haines and
Alan Henning, Japanese journalist
Kenji Goto and a number of other ISIS hostages.
