Two western journalists reported killed in Homs, Syria

Alice Fordham
Washington Post
February 22, 2012

BEIRUT — An American journalist and a French journalist were reported killed in a mortar strike in Homs, Syria, on Wednesday morning, Syrian anti-government activists and a French government spokeswoman said.

One of the slain journalists was U.S.-born Marie Colvin, a veteran foreign correspondent from Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper who has also reported for CNN, the BBC and other media outlets. The other was Remi Ochlik, an award-winning photographer from France.

It was difficult to independently confirm details of the mortar strike, because the Syrian government tightly controls access to Homs and other parts of the country. Valerie Pecresse, a spokeswoman for the French government, confirmed the deaths to reporters in Paris.

… Opposition activists said Colvin and Ochlik entered Homs without permission from Syrian authorities and were in a house in the Baba Amr neighborhood with other foreign journalists when the building was hit. At least two other journalists, freelance photographer Paul Conroy and French journalist Edith Bouvery, were injured in the attack, activists said. YouTube footage was posted of the two being treated for injuries in Homs. Conroy had been traveling on assignment with Colvin, said John Witherow, editor of the Sunday Times.

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This article was posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 9:21 am

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