Al-Qaeda kills 11 people, including journalist: Yemeni Journalists Syndicate

ADEN, Yemen

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate said Sunday that Al-Qaeda killed 11 people, including journalist Mohamed Al-Maqri, who had been kidnapped by the terrorist group more than nine years ago.

"Journalist Mohamed Al-Maqri, who had been forcibly disappeared by Al-Qaeda since October 12, 2015, was among 11 individuals killed in a terrorist attack targeting numerous civilians," it said in a statement.

It noted that the victims were accused by Al-Qaeda of "spying against the mujahideen," a label the group uses for its fighters, and were executed as a result.

The syndicate called on "the relevant authorities to investigate the crime, prosecute the perpetrators, recover the journalist's body, and deliver it to his family."

Al-Maqri was abducted by Al-Qaeda while covering anti-Al-Qaeda protests in Mukalla, a city in Yemen’s Hadhramaut governorate.

From 2015 to April 2016, Al-Qaeda maintained control over Mukalla before being ousted.

The journalist's death has reignited calls for justice and accountability for crimes against media professionals in conflict zones.

*Writing by Merve Berker