Syria: kidnapped cameraman killed by 'terrorists'

One of the two Syrian State TV channels, Al Ikhbariya (Syria News), announced on Monday that the kidnapped cameraman Hatem Abu Yahiya had been killed by "terrorists" adding that other members of crew, including the journalist Yara Saleh, are safe. The journalist Yara Saleh, the cameraman Abu Yahiya and a sound-engineer were abducted by the rebels last Friday while covering government operations. They appeared in an amateur video shot by anti-regime rebels, in which they said they felt well but were now exposed to "indiscriminate bombing by government forces" in the Tal suburb north of Damascus, where they were detained. In the video posted on the web, the rebels gave the government two conditions for the crew to be freed - the end of the indiscriminate bombing on civilian homes and the end of the siege of Tal. In the video an officer who deserted the Syrian army to join the rebels said that on Friday the crew and their were "saved from the attack of violent criminal groups of Assad", in reference to forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad. "They are treated as best as we can. They are our guests, and have not been kidnapped," said the officer, who was speaking up while on his right on a couch Saleh, the cameraman and sound technician were sitting. "Accompanied by members of the (rebel) Free Syrian Army these journalists have taken pictures of the destruction caused by criminal terrorist groups from the regime," added official, who has explicitly called for the end of indiscriminate bombing and siege to the town, in order "to enable all to return home safely.".