Two of the so-called "IS Beatles" have been taken out of Syria to "a secure location controlled by the US", President Donald Trump has said.
El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are accused of being part of an Islamic State group cell which kidnapped and murdered Western hostages in Syria.
The pair - who are from London - are in the custody of the American military, according to US media reports. In a tweet, Trump described them as "the worst of the worst". He said the decision to remove them from Syria had been taken "in case the Kurds or Turkey loses control".
The New York Times and Washington Post say the pair has been removed from a prison run by Kurdish militia in northern Syria. The announcement comes after the US withdrew its forces from the region this week.
--BBC