View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
January 12, 2012

French journalist killed in Syria

By Jennifer Norton

A French journalist was killed in Syria yesterday while covering pro-government demonstrations in the city of Homs.

Gilles Jacquier, a 43 year-old cameraman for France 2, was among a group of 15 foreign journalists on a trip authorised by President Assad when he was reportedly killed by a rocket grenade attack.

He is the first Western reporter to die in Syria since the uprising began in March last year.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Belgian reporter Jens Franssen said:

It was chaos. We ran. There were three of four grenades. A few minutes before the accident, there was a pro-Assad demonstration with a few youths. We asked them a few questions. Around 100 metres further on, there was a first grenade explosion.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

According to Associated Press, up to six Syrian civilians were also killed although the figure could not be verified.

Dutch officials confirmed that reporter Steven Wassenaar, another journalist in the group, was injured in the attack in the pro-Assad Hadara region.

Over 5,000 people, including several Syrian journalists, are estimated to have died since the uprising began according to the UN.

Jacquier was an award-winning reporter who had covered unrest in Tunisia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo and reported on the Israeli-Palestine conflict.


Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network