Syria: Detained Reuters journalists released

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Two Reuters television journalists detained in Syria since Saturday have been released,

according to a report from the news agency. Producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji have returned home to Lebanon and are understood to be in good health.

The pair were reportedly detained for not having the correct permits to work in Syria and for filming in an area where it is not permitted. Basma and Baltajj, both Lebanese nationals, had not been heard from since failing to turn up to take a taxi they had booked to meet them at the Lebanese-Syrian border on Saturday evening. "Reuters is concerned that its journalists were detained and held incommunicado for so long. We are delighted by their release and look forward to welcoming Ayat and Ezzat back," Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said. Mass protests against the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad broke out in towns in the south of Syria 10 days ago. $().ready( function(){ $.ajax({ type: "POST", url: "//www.journalism.co.uk/listen/", data: { cmd: 'ShowAdvert', nosurround: 'true', tagArgs: 'YToxOntzOjg6InNwZWNpZmljIjtzOjE6IjIiO30=' } }).done(function( msg ) { $('#3ddadda71a53771c3b151199d0e75888').html( msg ); $('#3ddadda71a53771c3b151199d0e75888').fadeIn(); }); } );