New Islamic State video shows group execution of Ethiopia Christians in Libya

Tripoli: The Islamic State jihadist group on Sunday released a video purportedly showing the executions of some 30 Ethiopian Christians captured in Libya.

The 29-minute video purports to show militants holding two groups of captives, described in a text on the screen as "followers of the cross from the enemy Ethiopian Church".

A masked fighter in black brandishing a pistol makes a statement threatening Christians if they do not convert to Islam.

The video then switches between footage of one group of about 12 men being beheaded by militants on a beach and another group of at least 16 being shot in the head in a desert area.

It was not immediately clear who the captives were or exactly how many were killed.

Before the killings, the video shows purported footage of Christians in Syria explaining how they had been given the choice of converting to Islam or paying a special tax, and had decided to pay.

The video bore the logo of IS's media arm and was similar to footage released in the past, including of a group of 21 Coptic Christians, mainly Egyptians, beheaded on a Libyan beach in February.

Several Libyan jihadist groups have pledged allegiance to IS, the extremist organisation that has seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq.

Watch: Islamic State video shows execution of Ethiopia Christians