Tomislav Salopek

Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic on Thursday said that Croatia's role in the global alliance against the Islamic State was not a factor behind ISIS's - unconfirmed - killing of Tomislav Salopek.

Countries around the world have expressed sympathy for the family of Tomislav Salopek and support for Croatia following Wednesday's report that ISIS in Egypt had executed him.

The report has yet to be confirmed.

Croatian PM Zoran Milanovic said on Wednesday afternoon he was unable to confirm that a Croatian citizen held by Islamic State in Egypt had been killed.

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic on Wednesday afternoon said Croatia could "not confirm with complete certainty that Tomislav Salopek was executed by ISIS" though he suggested it was certainly possible.

The reported execution of Croatian worker Tomislav Salopek on Wednesday adds to the grim tally of Western hostages that ISIS has subjected to the barbaric medieval practice of beheading. 

Croatian citizen Tomislav Salopek has been beheaded in Egypt, the Zagreb-based daily Jutranji List is reporting on Wednesday.

Salopek was kidnapped by Islamic State extremists.

The ISIS militant group has released a video claiming to show the beheading of Croatian hostage Tomislav Salopek. The Croatian man was captured by members of the extreme Islamist group on July 22 outside Cairo. ISIS had threatened to kill the 30-year old man, if some Muslim prisoners were not released by the Egyptian authorities.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed on August 12 to have beheaded a Croatian hostage abducted in Egypt, posting a purported picture of the victim's body on ISIL-affiliated Twitter accounts.

As unconfirmed photo of beheaded figure appears on Twitter, fears grow that terrorist group ISIS has executed Croatian hostage Tomislav Salopek in Egypt.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi kicked off a lavish ceremony on August 6 to unveil a "new" Suez Canal, as Egypt sought to boost its economy and international standing by expanding the vital waterway.