Two more journalists escape from Syria to Lebanon
Two foreign journalists have escaped from the Syrian city of Homs and made their way to Lebanon. One of them, French journalist Edith Bouvier, was forced to turn back earlier in the week due to her injuries when the escape party came under attack. Bouvier’s journey to Lebanon capped an anxious eight days of intense negotiations and at least one failed attempt to get the injured journalist out of Homs.Meanwhile, opposition forces left Homs after 26 days under fire.
A freelance reporter in Syria for the French daily Le Figaro, Bouvier was wounded in an attack on the Baba Amro district of Homs, which killed veteran American reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik.
She was trapped in Homs with French photographer William Daniel. Witnesses told Reuters that Daniel had arrived in Lebanon with Bouvier.
On Wednesday, another journalist who was also in Baba Amro, Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa, arrived in Lebanon. His escape came days after wounded British photographer Paul Conroy braved a perilous journey to make it safely to Lebanon.
Most Syrian rebels pulled out of the besieged Baba Amro district of Homs on Thursday after a 26-day siege by Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces, activists in contact with the fighters said.As horrible as this sounds, it might not be much different if the situation were reversed.
They said a few fighters had remained behind in the shattered quarter to cover the "tactical withdrawal" of their comrades.
Syrian forces again shelled Baba Amro earlier in the day, despite world alarm at the plight of civilians trapped there.
Snow blanketed the city, slowing a ground assault begun on Wednesday, but also worsening the misery of residents short of food, fuel, power, water and telephone links, activists said.
Reports from the city could not be verified immediately due to tight government restrictions on media operations in Syria.
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A Lebanese official close to Damascus said Assad's government was determined to regain control of Homs, Syria's third city, which straddles the main north-south highway.
"They want to take it, whatever happens, without restraint, whatever the cost," the official said, asking not to be named.
He said defeat for the rebels in Homs would leave the opposition without any major stronghold in Syria, easing the crisis for Assad, who remained confident he could survive.
Labels: Homs, journalists, Syrian uprising
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:59 PM
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