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Two Alhurra Journalists Reportedly Seized in Aleppo


Syria -- Volunteers bury bodies found in some houses after a recent Syrian Air Force air strike in Azaz, some 47 km north of Aleppo, 20Aug2012
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has called upon the Syrian government to ensure the safety of two of its journalists who were reportedly seized by Syrian forces on Monday, August 20.

Alhurra correspondent Bashar Fahmi and his cameraman, Cuneyt Unal, were reporting from Aleppo when they went missing. A video posted on YouTube by the Free Syrian Army announced that the journalists were detained by Syrian authorities.

It was reported that Fahmi and Unal were traveling with Japanese journalist Mika Yamamoto of Japan Press. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Yamamoto was killed Monday, August 20 in Aleppo, where she was covering clashes between Syrian troops and rebels.

“The safety and well-being of these two journalists is of paramount concern to us, and we strongly urge Syrian authorities to ensure their safe return,” said Michael Meehan, a member of the BBG Board and Chairman of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. (MBN).

Alhurra is operated by MBN, which is financed by the U.S. Government through a BBG grant. Covering the Middle East, it is a sister organization of RFE/RL.
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