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Syria is one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists. At least 30 are reported to be missing or kidnapped, many of whom remain unnamed, and 52 have been killed since the civil war began in 2011. Meet the 10 international journalists identified by the Associated Press as currently missing or held hostage in Syria.
November 9, 2013 – Source: Buzz feed news –
Bashar Al Kadumi, Jordanian
On Aug. 20, Al Kadumi was kidnapped after crossing into Syria from Turkey.
James Foley, American
A man who appears to be James Foley has been beheaded by members of ISIS, apparently in retaliation for Obama’s authorization of airstrikes and a humanitarian operation in Iraq. ISIS released footage of the killing on Tuesday afternoon, 635 days after Foley first went missing.
Two people who knew Foley told BuzzFeed that the man in the video appears to be him, and that the voice sounds like his.
Foley was last seen on Nov. 22, 2012 in northwestern Syria, where he worked on contributing videos from the civil war to Agence France-Presse for the media company GlobalPost, who had been working to locate his whereabouts.
Foley’s parents celebrated their son’s 40th birthday on Oct. 18, 2013. “We remain hopeful that James will be found and safely brought home to his family,” they said. His family did not respond immediately to BuzzFeed’s inquiry about the Aug. 19 video, but his mother posted a statement on Facebook late Tuesday night:
We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.
We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocent. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.
We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person. Please respect our privacy in the days ahead as we mourn and cherish Jim.
Edouard Elias, French
Edouard Elias is a photographer who worked for Agence France-Presse in Syria alongside French photographer Olivier Voisin, who died in Turkey after being injured in Syria on Feb. 24.
Elias then began working for French radio station Europe 1.
The photojournalist was reportedly abducted on June 6 by four armed men while traveling to Aleppo in Syria.
Didier Francois, French
Marc Marginedas, Spanish
Veteran Spanish war correspondent Marc Marginedas was kidnapped by insurgents near the city of Hama in western Syria on Sept. 4., 2012, his newspaper El Periodico reported.
“According to various sources, Marginedas was traveling by car with his driver when they were intercepted by jihadi combatants,” an article in the newspaper reported.
There has been no contact with him since his abduction.
Samir Kassab, Lebanese
Kassab (along with Sky News correspondent Ishak Moctar) is thought to have gone missing north of Aleppo.
Ishak Mokhtar, Mauritanian
Sky News
A reporter for Sky News Arabia, Ishak Mokhtar was kidnapped on Oct. 15 with Samir Kassab while the two were working near Aleppo.
Nicolas Henin, French
Nicholas Henin is a journalist and TV correspondent who specializes in reporting from conflict zones and hostile environments.
Henin was documenting municipal elections in the northeast city of Raqqa for Le Point Magazine, where he had worked for 10 years, when he was taken hostage on June 22.
In his Twitter bio he describes himself as an “optimistic revolutionnary” who is “always up for a cup of coffee.”
Pierre Torres, French
Pierre Torres was kidnapped with Nicholas Henin on June 22. He was reporting for French-German television channel Arte. Their disappearance was not made public until Oct. 9.
Austin Tice, American
