Photographer of the German press agency killed in Syria

Photographer of the German press agency killed in Syria

A Syrian photographer who worked for the German Press Agency (dpa) was killed in an air raid in the surrounding area of ​​Hama. In the region, the government troops of Bashar al-Assad are fighting bitterly against a advancing rebel group.

fatal air raid in Hama

The dpa announced that her photographer Anas Alkharboutli was killed during his reporting on the advance of the rebel alliance. According to a local journalist who observed the attack, the 32-year-old photojournalist was located at the time of the attack near the city of Morek, about 27 kilometers north of Hama.

Current conflict situation

The north of Hama is currently characterized by violent battles between the government troops and a rebel coalition. This coalition has recently taken control of Aleppo, the second largest city of Syria, which has re -lived in the long -lasting civil war in the country.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that the rebels were attacked "at all main areas of movement", and that air strikes were carried out by both Syrian and Russian war aircraft that support the Assad regime.

The tragic loss of Anas Alkharboutli

According to dpa, Alkharboutli was waiting at a bridge together with journalists from other media than their position was bombarded twice, probably "by Syrian government fighting jets". He died at the scene of the accident and was buried in Idlib on Wednesday. Sven Gösmann, editor -in -chief of the dpa, praised the award -winning photographer with the words: "With his pictures, he not only documented the horrors of the war, but also always fought for the truth."

progress of the rebels

The news of the death of the photographer coincided with the notification of a commander of a rebel group, who claimed that he had cheated the city of Muhradah from three sides. Abu Muhammad Al-Jolani, who belongs to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, directed a message to the civilian population of the predominantly Christian region, in which he asked his fighters to protect them.

"We treated the sons of the Christian faith well in Idlib and Aleppo, and we will continue to make sure to protect your property," emphasized Al-Jolani and called on the residents to "not be influenced by the psychological warfare of the criminal regime". He offered them to stay in their houses and villages.

International support of the rebel groups

hts is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States and is one of the various established armed Islamist factions that, despite their differences, fight against Assad, ISIS and Iran supported militias. Also the Syrian National Army, a umbrella organization with different ideologies, receives support and weapons from Türkiye.