Yes — beheadings have been used repeatedly by several jihadist groups (most notoriously ISIS/ISIL and its branches) as both a method of execution and a propaganda tool. They are not the everyday, routine form of killing for all Islamic extremist groups everywhere, but for groups that build media operations around terror (ISIS, some ISIS-affiliates, and some al-Qaeda affiliates) beheadings were a deliberate tactic — chosen for shock value, to intimidate opponents, punish alleged “spies” or collaborators, and to attract attention online. Chatham House+1

20 documented beheading incidents carried out or claimed by ISIS/ISIL (and affiliates), Boko Haram / ISWAP, and al-Shabaab — spanning Syria/Iraq, Libya, Nigeria and the Horn of Africa. I describe each incident non-graphically (no gruesome detail) with a short citation to trustworthy reporting. All external links are collected at the footer, as you requested.

Note on methodology and caution:We used reputable international news outlets, humanitarian statements and investigative reports (Reuters, Al Jazeera, BBC, Guardian, Time, Human Rights Watch, ICRC etc.). Many of these incidents are anchored in video or group statements (which were also used as propaganda). I avoided repeating graphic descriptions and summarized the facts (who, when, where, group, source). In several cases groups later claimed responsibility; in others independent monitors corroborated the acts. Treat militant-published videos as propaganda evidence — they must still be evaluated by investigators — but the cases below are those reported by major media or human-rights organizations.

Are beheadings “typical”?

• For ISIS/ISIL (2013–2016): yes — beheadings were a signature method in several high-profile executions (western hostages, soldiers, prisoners) and in staged propaganda videos. They used beheadings both to punish and to amplify fear online. TIME+1

• For ISIS affiliates (IS-Libya, IS-West Africa/ISWAP, Boko Haram splinters): beheadings have occurred (including mass executions of captives in Libya and Nigeria) though sometimes mixed with shootings and other killings. Reuters+1

• For al-Shabaab and some other al-Qaeda-linked groups: beheadings have been used (public or claimed executions), especially against accused spies, rivals or civilians in areas they control. Reuters+1

In short: beheading is not universal across all Islamist militant groups, but it has been an repeatedly used and publicised tactic by several major groups — particularly ISIS and some affiliates — because of its shock/propaganda value.

Twenty documented beheading incidents (non-graphic summary)

1. James Foley — (ISIS, 19 Aug 2014)
   American journalist James Foley was murdered in an ISIS video widely reported by international media. (ISIS claimed responsibility in its propaganda release.) Wikipedia

2. Steven Sotloff — (ISIS, 2 Sep 2014)
   U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff was killed in a separate ISIS video released shortly after Foley’s. Major outlets confirmed the video and the killing. TIME

3. David Haines — (ISIS, Sept 2014)
   British aid worker David Haines was executed in an ISIS video; the killing was reported by multiple international outlets. Reuters+1

4. Alan Henning — (ISIS, Oct 2014)
   British aid worker Alan Henning was shown among ISIS victims; major press reported his execution after publication of an ISIS video. The Guardian+1

5. Peter (Abdul-Rahman) Kassig — (ISIS, Nov 2014)
   U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig (who had converted to Islam in captivity) was killed in an ISIS video; the White House and international press confirmed the murder. TIME

6. Haruna Yukawa — (ISIS, Jan 2015)
   ISIS announced it had executed Japanese captive Haruna Yukawa; reporting from Reuters and other outlets documented the claim and subsequent video material. Reuters

7. Kenji Goto — (ISIS, Jan 2015)
   Japanese journalist Kenji Goto was killed by ISIS; Japanese authorities treated the video as authentic and the international press reported widely. Al Jazeera+1

8. 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians — (ISIS-Libya, Feb 2015)
   An ISIS faction in Libya released a video showing the murder of a group of Egyptian Christians (widely reported as beheadings); governments and international media condemned the massacre. Reuters+1

9. Mass beheadings of Syrian and Iraqi soldiers / prisoners — (ISIS, 2014-2015 — multiple incidents)
   Numerous reports and watchdog investigations documented ISIS videos and field reports showing the beheading or decapitation of captured soldiers and prisoners in Syria and Iraq (examples include the Dabiq video and other mass-execution footage). TIME+1

10. Ali al-Sayyed (Lebanese soldier) — (ISIS, Aug 2014)
    Lebanese Army Sergeant Ali al-Sayyed was reported beheaded by ISIS after being captured; Lebanese authorities and Reuters covered the incident. Reuters

11. Beheading of Kurdish/Syrian fighters and civilians in eastern Syria — (ISIS, 2014–2015)
    Human-rights monitors and press reported multiple beheadings of Kurdish fighters, Syrian rebels and civilians in IS-controlled areas; these acts were documented in media-monitored footage and NGO reporting. Wikipedia+1

12. Boko Haram — first publicly released beheading video echoing ISIS production (March 2015)
    Boko Haram released a video purporting to show militants beheading two men; the footage was notable for echoing the production style of ISIS propaganda. (Reported by Reuters and The Guardian.) Reuters+1

13. IS/ISWAP — execution (beheading) of around 10–11 Christian captives in Nigeria (Dec 2019)
    Islamic State-linked channels posted a video showing the killing of a group of Christian men in Nigeria; Reuters and Al Jazeera reported the claim (the footage showed execution-style killings and was widely condemned). Reuters+1

14. ISIL-linked killings of Christian migrant workers in Libya (additional media evidence and follow-ups) — (2014–2015, Libya)
    Besides the 21 Egyptian Copts, other recorded IS-linked executions in Libya included videos of groups of captives killed reportedly for sectarian or political reasons. These were documented by Reuters and human-rights monitors. Reuters+1

15. ISIS execution videos of multiple Syrian soldiers in Dabiq/Aleppo (Nov 2014 video)
    ISIS released a professionally produced video showing simultaneous executions of several dozen soldiers; forensic analysts and multiple press outlets examined and reported on the footage. TIME+1

16. Al-Shabaab: beheadings and executions in Somalia and Kenya (various years; e.g., 2017)
    Al-Shabaab has publicly executed people accused of spying or collaborating with government forces — examples reported include public beheadings in Jubba region and attacks in Kenya where victims were beheaded. Reuters+1

17. ISIS alleged beheading of Russian-linked captive (video claimed, Dec 2015)
    Monitoring groups reported an ISIS video purporting to show the killing (beheading) of a man said to be a Russian spy; Reuters reported on the video release and SITE/monitoring group notes. Reuters

18. ISIS mass executions of captured Iraqi soldiers (2014)
    Iraqi officials and international reporting described captured Iraqi troops being executed after ambushes — some of those executions were described in monitoring reports as including beheadings. (See Reuters/Long War Journal/HRW coverage.) FDD’s Long War Journal+1

19. Regional ISIS/IS-affiliates: executions published online across Sahel/North Africa (2015–2019)
    IS affiliates in Libya, the Sahel and West Africa published videos and claims of executions (some beheadings) of captives — a pattern documented by academic and think-tank analyses of IS expansion in Africa. @RSIS_NTU+1

20. Al-Shabaab and local Islamist factions: multiple beheading incidents against alleged spies or rivals (2009–2023)
    Over more than a decade Al-Shabaab carried out several beheadings and public executions (e.g., 2009 beheading of two sheikhs; later beheadings in local Kenyan counties and Somali districts), reported by Reuters and regional media. Reuters+1

Short analysis — why groups use beheading

1. Shock/propaganda: beheadings generate intense media attention and are used to amplify fear and recruit via spectacle. ISIS excelled at producing high-quality videos to maximise reach. TIME

2. Punishment and control: jihadi groups sometimes publicly execute those they accuse of spying, apostasy, collaboration or desertion — beheading is presented as a harsh punitive example. European Journal

3. Symbolic messaging: for some groups, such executions are framed as enforcement of a brutal, literalist version of “sharia” in areas they control — a tool to police populations and discourage resistance. TraCCC Global Impact

Important cautions

• Not every claim of a beheading is independently verified — sometimes groups publish videos that are staged or misrepresented; independent verification by journalists, OSINT analysts and human-rights monitors is important. Chatham House

• Beheading is not a universal practice across all Islamist insurgent groups (some rely on shootings, suicide attacks, kidnappings, etc.). The tactic’s prominence varies by group, era and local circumstances. ICCT

If you want this expanded

I can:

• Produce a fully sourced table (one row per incident) with date, location, victims, group, and 1–2 primary sources for each entry (news + NGO/monitor).

• Do deeper OSINT follow-up on any specific incident you pick (forensic analyses, video authentication reports, judicial follow-ups).

Say which option you prefer — “table” or “OSINT deep dive on X incident” — and I’ll compile it. (All links will be placed in the footer.)

Footer — primary source links used in this article

(Each incident above is based on one or more of the reputable sources below.)

• Reuters — “Nigeria’s Boko Haram releases beheading video echoing Islamic State”. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/nigerias-boko-haram-releases-beheading-video-echoing-islamic-state-idUSKBN0LZ0QE. Reuters

• Reuters — “Islamic State says it beheaded Christian captives in Nigeria”. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/islamic-state-says-it-beheaded-christian-captives-in-nigeria-idUSKBN1YV148. Reuters

• Al Jazeera — “ISIL-linked group claims ‘execution of 11 Christians’ in Nigeria”. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/27/isil-linked-group-claims-execution-of-11-christians-in-nigeria. Al Jazeera

• Reuters — “Egypt bombs Islamic State targets in Libya after 21 Egyptians beheaded” (on 21 Copts). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/egypt-bombs-islamic-state-targets-in-libya-after-21-egyptians-beheaded-idUSKBN0LJ10D/. Reuters

• The Guardian — reporting on Alan Henning and other Western victims. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/03/alan-henning-isis-syria-video-murder. The Guardian

• Time / TIME.com — coverage and analysis of ISIS beheading videos (e.g., Peter Kassig, Steven Sotloff). https://time.com/3587678/isis-peter-kassig/ and https://time.com/3258167/steven-sotloff-isis-video-james-foley/. TIME+1

• Reuters — “Islamic State issues video of beheading of U.S. hostage” (Steven Sotloff / James Foley era). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/islamic-state-issues-video-of-beheading-of-us-hostage-idUSKBN0GX20R. Reuters

• BBC / Al Jazeera — various pieces on beheading videos and ISIS executions (e.g., Kenji Goto). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/2/1/japan-says-isil-beheading-video-likely-authentic. Al Jazeera

• Human Rights Watch / academic reports on ISIS killings and Yazidi atrocities (summary reporting on mass executions and beheadings). https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/10/30/iraq-isis-executed-hundreds-prison-inmates and academic analyses of beheading videos. Human Rights Watch+1

• Time / analysis piece on the Dabiq beheading video and its production. https://time.com/3624976/isis-beheading-technology-video-trac-quilliam/. TIME

• The Guardian / Reuters / AP — coverage of ISIS-Libya killing of Egyptian Copts and other Libyan incidents (2015). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/libya-egypt-copts/libya-to-return-bodies-of-20-egyptian-christians-beheaded-in-2015-idUSKCN1IF0J4/. Reuters

• Reuters / The Guardian / BBC — coverage of Boko Haram beheading videos (March 2015) and executions in Nigeria. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/03/boko-haram-beheadings-video-isis and https://www.reuters.com/article/world/nigerias-boko-haram-releases-beheading-video-echoing-islamic-state-idUSKBN0LZ0QE. The Guardian+1

• Reuters — on ISIS beheadings of captured soldiers and foreign hostages (various 2014–2015). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/jihadi-john-killer-from-islamic-state-beheading-videos-unmasked-as-londoner-idUSKBN0LU13Y/ . Reuters

• Reuters / BBC / Guardian — Al-Shabaab beheading reports (e.g., Kenya, Somalia). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/somalias-al-shabaab-executes-four-men-accused-of-spying-idUSKBN15L0GZ/ and https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/08/nine-kenyans-beheaded-by-somali-al-shabaab-terrorists. Reuters+1