Middle East

Two more French journalists held in Syria

Pair were kidnapped in June but disappearance only being highlighted now

Syrian army soldiers loyal to Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad pose for a photograph with their weapons during what they said was military operation on the road to Khanaser town to clean the roads from mines and improvised explosives in Al-Qabtin in Aleppo province yesterday. Photograph: Reuters

Wed Oct 9 2013 - 12:39

France’s foreign ministry said two more French journalists were being held hostage in Syria, taking the number of its captive citizens in the country to four.

The two men, Nicolas Henin, who was working for Le Point magazine, and Pierre Torres, who was reporting for French-German television channel Arte, were taken on June 22nd, but their disappearance had not previously been made public.

“Everything is being done to ensure their release,” the ministry said in a statement.

Veteran war correspondent Didier Francois and photographer Edouard Elias, were also abducted in early June on their way to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

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French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the two men were alive.

Syria is the most dangerous place in the world for journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists says, with at least 39 killed and 21 kidnapped in 2012 by both rebels and government forces.

Most kidnapped journalists have been released but several remain missing.

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