Redwan Hussein, a spokesman for Ethiopia's government, today said the Ethiopian Christians who were killed by the Islamic State group in Libya were migrants who were trying to reach Europe.

The government confirmed that many Ethiopians held captive in Libya were killed by the Islamic State group, after a video emerged on Sunday of the killings.

The 29-minute video believed to be released by the Islamic militants shows a group of Ethiopian Christians held captive in Libya being shot or beheaded by extremists.