Last western journalists safely out of Syria

This article was migrated from an old version of our website in 2025. As a result, it might have some low-quality images or non-functioning links - if there's any issues you'd like to see fixed, get in touch with us at info@journalism.co.uk.

The last of four western journalists injured in an attack in the besieged Syrian city of Homs have escaped to safety.

French journalists Edith Bouvier and William Daniels are in Lebanon and will fly back to Paris later today, French president Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed last night.

Sarkozy

had previously announced that Bouvier was safe

and well on Monday, but this was based on false information.

Spanish reporter Javier Espinosa escaped Homs, and Times photographer Paul Conroy returned home safely earlier this week.

The four journalists were injured in the same attack that killed Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin and photographer Rémi Ochlik.

Videos posted on YouTube by activists appear to show the pair being buried in Syria - despite attempts by humanitarian groups and diplomats to recover the bodies and repatriate them. The videos cannot be independently verified.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has welcomed the news that that the two French journalists trapped in Homs last week have reached safety.

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said in a release : "We are relieved that Edith Bouvier and William Daniels are now safe but are concerned that the Syrian government's assault on Homs has made it impossible to retrieve the bodies of our colleagues Marie Colvin and Rémi Ochlik.

"We remain deeply concerned for the safety of all Syrian journalists who are risking their lives to report on the unrest across the country."