Sniper kills pro-government TV journalist in western Syria

USPA News - A well-known Syrian journalist working for pro-government television station al-Ikhbariya was killed by sniper fire Monday near the Lebanese-Syrian border, the government and activists said. Several other journalists were injured in the attack.

The incident happened outside the Debaa military airport near Al-Qusayr, a city in western Homs province that is close to the border with Lebanon. The area has been the scene of fierce fighting in recent days as government forces have been attempting to recapture the airport and the surrounding area from rebels. The Britain-based activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a female news correspondent was killed by a sniper near the airport, and that several others from the news crew were injured. Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi confirmed 26-year-old Yara Abbas, who was often seen reporting alongside government forces, had been killed. Al-Zoubi described the journalist`s death as a "tragic and regrettable incident" and said Abbas was well aware that her dangerous work could result in her death. He described the well-known journalist as a "fastidious, assiduous, active and faithful colleague" who strongly supported the Syrian people. It could not be independently verified which side was responsible for the killing, but al-Zoubi blamed "terrorists" for the journalist`s death. The Syrian government frequently uses terms such as terrorists to refer to rebels which are fighting to overthrow the government of President al-Assad. Al-Zoubi added that Syrian journalists would not have become a target for "terrorists" if it had not fulfilled its "national, humane and moral duties." The National Council for Media praised Syrian journalists for their bravery and offered its condolences to the family and friends of Abbas. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 44 local and international journalists have been killed on duty in Syria since November 2011, making it by far the most dangerous place in the world for journalists. The organization believes at least 38 of the deaths were work-related, but the death on Monday has not yet been investigated by the group.