The journalists killed during the Syrian Civil War refers to the foreign war correspondents, Syrian professional journalists (including those who work for pro-government media outlets), and Syrian citizen journalists (including those who work for opposition forces) killed since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 and who have died as a result of their reporting. Also included in a separate form are those journalists whose whereabouts are unknown or whose disappearance is a result of their reporting and the period of their disappearance, including those cases where it is unknown as to whether or not they are casualties.
The Doha Centre for Media Freedom has documented 110 professional or citizen journalists who have died during the Syrian civil war.[1] The Syrian Journalists' Association has documented 153 journalists killed since the uprising and throughout the civil war, and 15 in March 2013.[2] [3] As of March 2013, the United Nations estimated that 70,000 people have been killed during the Syrian civil war.
Date | Name | Location | Notes | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Firas al-Ahmad | al-Shayyiah, Deraa Governorate | journalist working for Sama TV in Damascus. Killed along with three soldiers by a roadside bomb that also injured his cameraman | [4] | ||
Abdul Nasser Haj Hamdan | Maaret Elnaasan | photographer working for the Media Office in Binnish, died in Russian airstrike | [5] | ||
Abdul Hameed al-Yousef | Kafr Rumah, Idlib governorate | photographer and camera operator for Kafr Rumah Media Office, died in government shelling | [6] | ||
Mohammed Hussein Rasho and Saad Ahmed | Ras al-Ain | Two Syrian Kurdish journalists in Turkish air strike on civilian convoy carrying local and foreign journalists | [7] | ||
Mohsen Khazaei | Minyan district, Aleppo | Iranian reporter for IRIB and his cameraman injured in rebel crossfire while embedded with pro-government fighters | [8] [9] | ||
Eylül Nûhilat | Shehba | While accompanying fighters of Shehba Women Protection Front, the Syrian Kurdish YPJ press office journalist was killed during the artillery attacks of the Turkish army on Shehba region. | [10] [11] | ||
Patryk Skolak | Aleppo | Polish freelance journalist | |||
Mustafa Mohammed | Manbij, Aleppo Governorate | The Syrian Kurdish journalist for Ronahi TV, died in Qamishli from injuries sustained while covering the fighting in Manbij | [12] | ||
Ibrahim Al-Omar | Idlib | Syrian reporter for Al-Jazeera, killed in Russian double tap airstrike while reporting | [13] | ||
Khaled Al-Issa | Aleppo (wounded in Syria and pronounced dead in Antakya, Turkey) | Opposition journalist killed by an explosive device hidden in his home. Known for being the fellow journalist of Hadi Al-Abdullah, injured in the same attack | [14] [15] | ||
Zakaria Ibrahim | Teldo Village, Homs province | Al Jazeera camera operator | [16] | ||
Kenji Goto | Unknown (ISIL) | Japanese freelance video journalist, captured and beheaded by ISIL | [17] | ||
Unidentified member of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently | Raqqa | Name withheld for security reasons; date is reported date | [18] | ||
Mohamed Al Qasim | Idlib | Reporter for Syrian radio station Rozana, killed by unknown gunman while interviewing a rebel leader | [19] [20] | ||
Steven Joel Sotloff | Unknown (ISIL) | American freelance photographer | [21] | ||
James Wright Foley | Unknown (ISIL) | American freelance photographer | [22] | ||
Yara Abbas | Homs (Dabaa airport) | Reporter for Syrian News Channel (al-Ikhbariyah), killed by rebel sniper while reporting a clash | [23] | ||
Abdul Raheem Kour Hassan | Damascus | Radio director for Watan FM | [24] | ||
Ahmed Khaled Shehadeh | Damascus (Daraya) | Editor-in-chief at the newspaper Anab Balady | |||
Ghaith Abd al-Jawad | Damascus | Citizen journalist working for the Qaboun Media Center | [25] | ||
Amr Badir al-Deen Junaid (aka Abu Ameer) | Damascus | Citizen journalist working for the Qaboun Media Center | [26] | ||
Walid Jamil Amira | Damascus | Citizen journalist working for the Jobar Media Center | [27] | ||
Wael Abdul Aziz | Homs (Baba Amr) | Citizen journalist | |||
Olivier Voisin | Idlib Governorate (wounded in Syria and died in Turkey) | French freelance photographer; injured near Idlib, died in Turkey | [28] | ||
Adnan Abu Abdo | Daraa | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohamed Mohamed | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Saeed Al-Hamwi | Damascus (Qaboun) | Citizen journalist | |||
Yousef Adel Bakri | Aleppo | Citizen journalist with the Aleppo News Network | |||
Hamada Abdel-Salam Al-Khatib | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Zaid Abu Obeida | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Kurdi | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Abdul Latif Khalil Khuder | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Nabil Al-Nabulsi | Daraa Izra | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohamed Abd Al-Rahman | Damascus | Sports journalist for pro-government news website Syria News | [29] [30] | ||
Mohammed al-Masalmeh, a.k.a. Mohamed al-Hourani | Basri Al-Hariri, Daraa Governorate | Al Jazeera TV reporter | [31] [32] [33] | ||
Amjed Al-Sayoufi | Saqba (east of Damascus) | Citizen journalist | |||
Hossein Al-Qadri | Saqba (east of Damascus) | Citizen journalist | |||
Yves Debay | Aleppo | French-Belgian journalist for Assaut (French magazine) | [34] | ||
Ahmed Assaad Al-Shahab | Homs | Citizen journalist who was executed in a beheading by Syrian forces | |||
Bassem Fawaz Al-Za'bi | Tafas (near Deraa) | Citizen journalist | |||
Suhail Mahmoud Al-Ali | Damascus or Aleppo | Addounia TV | [35] [36] [37] [38] | ||
Haidar Smoudi (also transliterated al-Sumudi) | Damascus | Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) | [39] | ||
Anmar Yassin Mohammad | Damascus (Mezzeh) | pro-gov Syrian News Center | [40] [41] | ||
Mohamed Khair Sheikh Qwaider | Arbin (east of Damascus) | Citizen journalist | |||
Naji Assaad | Damascus (Tadamon) | Tishreen | [42] | ||
Marwan Hamid Charbaji | Damascus (Daraya) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammad Koraytem | Damascus (Daraya) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohamed al-Khal | Deir ez-Zor | Shaam News Network | [43] | ||
Basel Tawfiq Yussif | Damascus (Tadamon) | Journalist for Syria's Public Authority for Radio and Television (Syrian state TV) | [44] [45] | ||
Huzan Abdul Halim Mahmoud | Al-Hasaka (Ras al-Ayn) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Al-Zaheer Al-Naimi | Damasacus (Al-Bouaida) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Al-Khalid | Aleppo | Media activist executed by the Free Syria Army | |||
Abdullah Hassan Kaaka | Unknown | Citizen journalist tortured by the government | |||
Mustafa Kerman | Aleppo | Citizen journalist | |||
Samer Khrayshi | Arbin (east of Damascus) | Citizen journalist | |||
Hassan Haidar Al Sheikh Hammoud | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammad Khalil Al-Wakaa | Deir ez-Zor | Citizen journalist | |||
Anas Al-Ahmed | Unknown | Citizen journalist | [46] | ||
Omar Abdul Razik Lattouf | Aleppo | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Jumaa Abdul Karim Lattouf | Aleppo | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammad Al-Ashram | Deir ez-Zor | Syrian News Channel (Al-Ikhbariyah TV) | [47] | ||
Mona Bakkour | Aleppo (Saadallah Al-Jabri Square) | Thawra | |||
Ahmed Ali Saada | Damascus | Citizen journalist and worked for the Syrian National Council | |||
Mohamad Fayad Askar | Deir ez-Zor (Al Kousour) | Citizen journalist | |||
Abdul Aziz Ragheb Al-Sheikh | Deir ez-Zor (Al Jabla) | Citizen journalist for Shaam News Network | |||
Abdul Kareem Al Okdah | Hama | Citizen journalist for Shaam News Network | |||
Tamer Al-Awam | Aleppo | Freelance filmmaker | [48] | ||
Anas Al-Abdullah | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Tahseen Al-Toum | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Nawaf Al-Hindi | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohamed Badeer Al-Qasim | Homs | Citizen journalist who started a media center in Deir ez-Zor | |||
Maya Nasser | Damascus | Press TV (Iran) | [49] | ||
Omar Hamed al Zanil (also transliterated Omar Al Hamed Al-Zamel) | Al-Hirak, Izra' District, Daraa Governorate | Citizen journalist | [50] | ||
Musab al-Odallah | Naher Aisha, Damascus | Tishreen | [51] [52] [53] [54] | ||
Mika Yamamoto | Aleppo | Japanese reporter for Japan Press | [55] [56] | ||
Ali Abbas | Jdaidet Artouz (town), southwest of Damascus | Journalist for SANA who was killed at his home | [57] [58] [59] | ||
Bara'a Yusuf al-Bushi | Al-Tall | Citizen journalist | |||
Hatem Abu Yehya | Al-Tall | Syrian News Channel (Al-Ikhbariyah TV) | [60] [61] | ||
Mohammed al-Saeed | Jdaidet Artouz, southwest of Damascus | SANA TV presenter who was kidnapped and executed | [62] | ||
Ahmad Salam | Damascus | Citizen journalist | |||
Zuhair Muhammed Al-Shaher | Deir ez-Zor | Citizen journalist | |||
Mahmoud Sudqi | Idlib Governorate | Citizen journalist | [63] | ||
Mohamed al-Husni | Al-Qusayr, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist and director of the Media Centre in Al Qusour | [64] | ||
Ali Juburi al-Kaabi | Damascus | Iraqi journalist working for Al Roaa (Iraq) | [65] [66] | ||
Falah Taha (Iraqi) | Damascus | Iraqi journalist working for Al Roaa (Iraq) | |||
Ihsan al Buni (also transliterated Ihssan Al-Binni) | Damascus (Daraya) | Al-Thawra | [67] [68] | ||
Suhaib Dib | Damascus | Citizen journalist | [69] [70] | ||
Alaa Umar Jumaa | Kansaba | Citizen journalist | [71] | ||
Mohamed Hamdo Hallaq | Azaz (near Aleppo) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammed Ali Al Haymad | Damascus (Daraya) | Citizen journalist | |||
Samer Khalil Al-Sataleh (Al-Salta), aka Abou Yasser | Damascus (Douma) | Citizen journalist | |||
Mohammad Shamma | Damascus (Drousha) | Syrian News Channel (Al-Ikhbariyah TV) | [72] [73] | ||
Zaid Kahel | Damascus (Drousha) | Syrian News Channel (Al-Ikhbariyah TV) | [74] | ||
Sami Abu Amin | Damascus (Drousha) | Syrian News Channel (Al-Ikhbariyah TV) | [75] | ||
Wael Omar Barad | Jarjaraz | Citizen journalist | |||
Ghias Khaled Al-Hmouria | Damascus (Douma) | Citizen journalist | |||
Hamza Mahmoud Othman | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Omar Al-Ghantawi | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Ahmed Hamada | Homs (Baba Amr) | Citizen journalist | [76] | ||
Bassim Barakat Darwish | Al-Rastan, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist & founder of the Rastan Media Center | [77] | ||
Ayham Youssef Al Hariri | Houran | Citizen journalist | |||
Khaled Al-Bakir (Al-Bakr) | Al-Qusayr, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist & founder of Alaasi Revolution News Network | [78] [79] | ||
Abdulhameed Idriss Matar | Al-Qusayr, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist | |||
Bassel Shehadeh | Homs | Citizen journalist | [80] [81] [82] | ||
Ahmed Al Assam | Homs | Citizen journalist | [83] | ||
Ammar Mohamed Zado (also transliterated Amar Mohamed Souheil Zada) | Damascus (Al-Midan) | director of Shaam News Network | [84] [85] | ||
Ahmed Adnan Al-Ashlaq | Damascus (Al-Midan) | Shaam News Network | [86] | ||
Lawrence Fahmy Al-Naimi | Damascus (Al-Midan) | Shaam News Network | [87] | ||
Hasan Azhari | Lattakia | Citizen journalist who was arrested, tortured, and killed in Damascus at The Military Security prison (Branch 215) | |||
Abdul Ghani Kaakeh | Aleppo (Salah Al-Din) | Citizen journalist | [88] [89] [90] | ||
Khaled Mahmoud Kabbisho | Idlib | Citizen journalist | [91] [92] | ||
Alaa al-Din Hassan al-Douri | Hama Governorate | Citizen journalist | |||
Sameer Shalab al-Sham | Homs | Citizen journalist | [93] | ||
Ahmed Abdollah Fakhriyeh | Dumeir (northeast of Damascus), Rif Dimashq Governorate | Citizen journalist | |||
Anas Al-Houlani | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Ahmed Mohamed Djibril | Idlib | Citizen journalist who was 17 years old at the time he was shot and killed | [94] | ||
Walid Bledi | Darkush (near the Turkish border) | Algerian-British freelance journalist | [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] | ||
Naseem Intriri | Darkush (near the Turkish border) | Algerian-French freelance journalist | |||
Jawan Mohammed Qatna | Al-Hasakeh (Ad Darbasiyah) | Kidnapped (Kurdish) citizen journalist for Free Derbassiyeh Coordination Committee whose body was later discovered | |||
Amr Kaaka | Doma (near Damascus) | Citizen journalist | |||
Abdullah Khaled Awad | Al-Qusayr, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist | |||
Anas al-Tarsha | Homs (Qarabees) | Citizen journalist | [100] | ||
Remi Ochlik | Homs | French freelance photographer for IP3 Press photo agency | [101] [102] [103] | ||
Marie Colvin | Homs | American journalist working for The Sunday Times (UK) | [104] [105] [106] | ||
Rami al-Sayed | Homs (Baba Amr) | Citizen journalist | [107] [108] [109] | ||
Mazhar Tayyara (also transliterated Madhar Amr Tayara) | Homs | Freelance journalist for Agence France-Presse (France), The Guardian (UK), Die Welt (Germany) | [110] [111] [112] [113] [114] | ||
Saleh Samih Murjan | Karm Zeitun (near Homs) | Citizen journalist | |||
Usama Burhan Idriss | Homs (Inshaatt) | Citizen journalist | |||
Gilles Jacquier | Homs | French citizen reporting for France 2 | [115] [116] [117] [118] | ||
Shoukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Bourghoul (also transliterated Shukri Ratib Abu Burghol) | Damascus (Daraya) | al-Thawra (daily) and Radio Damas | [119] [120] [121] [122] | ||
Muawiya Ibrahim Ayoub | Al-Rastan, Homs Governorate | Citizen journalist | |||
Muatassim Al-Saleh | Hama | Citizen journalist | |||
Basil al-Sayed | Homs (Baba Amr) | Died in an improvised hospital from a gunshot wound suffered five days earlier (Known in Homs as "the revolution's journalist") | [123] [124] | ||
Rami Ismail Iqbal | a Syrian prison | Citizen journalist | [125] | ||
Bilal Jibss | Idlib (Kafr Tkharam) | Citizen journalist | |||
Hamza Khalid Amer | Shamseen (near Homs) | Citizen journalist | |||
Firas Barshan | Homs | Citizen journalist | |||
Nizar Adnan Humsa | Homs (Al Bayada) | Citizen journalist who died while in custody of the Syrian intelligence agency | |||
Ferzat Jarban | Al-Qusayr, Homs Governorate | Freelance TV camera operator | [126] [127] [128] | ||
Ahmed Souleymane Daheek | Talbiseh, Homs | Citizen journalist, shot | [129] |
Date | Name | Location | Notes | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unknown journalist killed (Unknown nationality) | Arsal, Lebanon | Journalist killed by missiles fired from a Syrian jet. | [130] | ||
Ali Shaaban | Wadi Khaled, Lebanon | Lebanese Camera operator for Al-Jadeed television. | [131] [132] |
Date | Name | Location | Notes | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 April 2011 – 18 May 2011 | Dorothy Parvaz | Damascus | Al Jazeera. She carries Iranian, Canadian and U.S. passports. She was abducted by government forces, deported to Iran, and eventually released there. | [134] [135] | |
13 December 2012 – 17 December 2012 | Richard Engel | Ma’arrat Misrin | NBC TV. American TV reporter, producer, camera operator, and two crew were abducted after an ambush and held captive for 5 days until rebels freed the team from the group of Syrian loyalists known Shabiha. | [136] | |
October 2015 – 16 September 2016 | Janina Findeisen | Al-Dana | German freelance reporter for Süddeutsche Zeitung and NDR, traveled to Syria after an invitation from a friend, even though she was pregnant. She was abducted then released by Jabhat al-Nusra after a sharia court ruled her kidnapping un-Islamic. | [137] [138] [139] | |
January 2017 – January 2020 | Shiraaz Mohamed | South African photojournalist for the charity Gift of the Givers, freed after three years of abduction. Believed abducted by ISIL. | [140] |