PARIS
Four French journalists who were released after 10 months of captivity in Syria arrived in France on Sunday morning.
Journalists Edouard Elias, Didier Francois, Pierre Torres and Nicolas Henin, who arrived at a military base in northern France, were welcomed by French President Francois Hollande, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and relatives.
“I would like to thank Turkish authorities for their contribution. This is a day of great joy for their relatives, their friends and all France,” Hollande said.
Didier Francois, a senior war correspondent working for Europe 1 radio, and Edouard Elias, a photographer, were kidnapped in early June on their way to the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Nicolas Henin, who was working for Le Point magazine and Pierre Torres, reporting for French-German television channel Arte, were taken later that month.
The four were released and brought to Turkey on Saturday. It is not clear who or what groups kidnapped the journalists.
As the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year, the country has become the most deadly for journalists who are regularly kidnapped and murdered, human rights groups say.
On March 3, France-based Reporters Without Borders released a report containing the names and countries of journalists who have disappeared or been abducted around the world. Currently, the list for Syria includes 22 journalists - 12 foreigners and 10 Syrians.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
