List of journalists killed during the Syrian Civil War


The journalists killed during the Syrian Civil War refers to the foreign war correspondents, Syrian professional journalists, and Syrian citizen journalists killed since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 and who have died as a result of their reporting. Also included in a separate form are those journalists whose whereabouts are unknown or whose disappearance is a result of their reporting and the period of their disappearance, including those cases where it is unknown as to whether or not they are casualties.
The Doha Centre for Media Freedom has documented 110 professional or citizen journalists who have died during the Syrian civil war. The Syrian Journalists' Association has documented 153 journalists killed since the uprising and throughout the civil war, and 15 in March 2013. As of March 2013, the United Nations estimated that 70,000 people have been killed during the Syrian civil war.

Professional or citizen journalists/media activists killed in Syria

DateNameLocationNotesRefs
Abdul Nasser Haj HamdanMaaret Elnaasanphotographer working for the Media Office in Binnish, died in Russian airstrike
Abdul Hameed al-YousefKafr Rumah, Idlib governoratephotographer and camera operator for Kafr Rumah Media Office, died in government shelling
Mohammed Hussein Rasho and Saad AhmedRas al-AinTwo Syrian Kurdish journalists in Turkish air strike on civilian convoy carrying local and foreign journalists
Mohsen KhazaeiMinyan district, AleppoIranian reporter for IRIB and his cameraman injured in rebel crossfire while embedded with pro-government fighters
Eylül NûhilatShehbaWhile accompanying fighters of Shehba Women Protection Front, the Syrian Kurdish YPJ press office journalist was killed during the artillery attacks of the Turkish army on Shehba region.
Patryk SkolakAleppoPolish freelance journalist
Mustafa MohammedManbij, Aleppo GovernorateThe Syrian Kurdish journalist for Ronahi TV, died in Qamishli from injuries sustained while covering the fighting in Manbij
Ibrahim Al-OmarIdlibSyrian reporter for Al-Jazeera, killed in Russian double tap airstrike while reporting
Khaled Al-IssaAleppo Opposition journalist killed by an explosive device hidden in his home. Known for being the fellow journalist of Hadi Al-Abdullah, injured in the same attack
Zakaria IbrahimTeldo Village, Homs provinceAl Jazeera camera operator
Kenji Goto JogoUnknown Japanese freelance video journalist, captured and beheaded by ISIL
Unidentified member of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered SilentlyRaqqaName withheld for security reasons; date is reported date
Mohamed Al QasimIdlibReporter for Syrian radio station Rozana, killed by unknown gunman while interviewing a rebel leader
Steven Joel SotloffUnknown American freelance photographer
James Wright FoleyUnknown American freelance photographer
Yara AbbasHoms Reporter for Syrian News Channel, killed by rebel sniper while reporting a clash
Abdul Raheem Kour HassanDamascusRadio director for Watan FM
Ahmed Khaled ShehadehDamascus Editor-in-chief at the newspaper Anab Balady
Ghaith Abd al-JawadDamascusCitizen journalist working for the Qaboun Media Center
Amr Badir al-Deen Junaid DamascusCitizen journalist working for the Qaboun Media Center
Walid Jamil AmiraDamascusCitizen journalist working for the Jobar Media Center
Wael Abdul AzizHoms Citizen journalist
Olivier VoisinIdlib Governorate French freelance photographer; injured near Idlib, died in Turkey
Adnan Abu AbdoDaraaCitizen journalist
Mohamed MohamedDamascusCitizen journalist
Mohammed Saeed Al-HamwiDamascus Citizen journalist
Yousef Adel BakriAleppoCitizen journalist with the Aleppo News Network
Hamada Abdel-Salam Al-KhatibHomsCitizen journalist
Zaid Abu ObeidaDamascusCitizen journalist
Mohammed KurdiDamascusCitizen journalist
Abdul Latif Khalil KhuderDamascusCitizen journalist
Nabil Al-NabulsiDaraa IzraCitizen journalist
Mohamed Abd Al-RahmanDamascusSports journalist for pro-government news website Syria News
Mohammed al-Masalmeh, a.k.a. Mohamed al-HouraniBasri Al-Hariri, Daraa GovernorateAl Jazeera TV reporter
Amjed Al-SayoufiSaqba Citizen journalist
Hossein Al-QadriSaqba Citizen journalist
Yves DebayAleppoFrench-Belgian journalist for Assaut
Ahmed Assaad Al-ShahabHomsCitizen journalist who was executed in a beheading by Syrian forces
Bassem Fawaz Al-Za'biTafas Citizen journalist
Suhail Mahmoud Al-AliDamascus or AleppoAddounia TV
Haidar Smoudi DamascusSyrian Arab News Agency
Anmar Yassin MohammadDamascus pro-gov Syrian News Center
Mohamed Khair Sheikh QwaiderArbin Citizen journalist
Naji AssaadDamascus Tishreen
Marwan Hamid CharbajiDamascus Citizen journalist
Mohammad KoraytemDamascus Citizen journalist
Mohamed al-KhalDeir ez-ZorShaam News Network
Basel Tawfiq YussifDamascus Journalist for Syria's Public Authority for Radio and Television
Huzan Abdul Halim MahmoudAl-Hasaka Citizen journalist
Mohammed Al-Zaheer Al-NaimiDamasacus Citizen journalist
Mohammed Al-KhalidAleppoMedia activist executed by the Free Syria Army
Abdullah Hassan KaakaUnknownCitizen journalist tortured by the government
Mustafa KermanAleppoCitizen journalist
Samer KhrayshiArbin Citizen journalist
Hassan Haidar Al Sheikh HammoudHomsCitizen journalist
Mohammad Khalil Al-WakaaDeir ez-ZorCitizen journalist
Anas Al-AhmedUnknownCitizen journalist
Omar Abdul Razik LattoufAleppoCitizen journalist
Mohammed Jumaa Abdul Karim LattoufAleppoCitizen journalist
Mohammad Al-AshramDeir ez-ZorSyrian News Channel
Mona BakkourAleppo Thawra
Ahmed Ali SaadaDamascusCitizen journalist and worked for the Syrian National Council
Mohamad Fayad AskarDeir ez-Zor Citizen journalist
Abdul Aziz Ragheb Al-SheikhDeir ez-Zor Citizen journalist for Shaam News Network
Abdul Kareem Al OkdahHamaCitizen journalist for Shaam News Network
Tamer Al-AwamAleppoFreelance filmmaker
Anas Al-AbdullahDamascusCitizen journalist
Tahseen Al-ToumDamascusCitizen journalist
Nawaf Al-HindiDamascusCitizen journalist
Mohamed Badeer Al-QasimHomsCitizen journalist who started a media center in Deir ez-Zor
Maya NasserDamascusPress TV
Omar Hamed al Zanil Al-Hirak, Izra' District, Daraa GovernorateCitizen journalist
Musab al-OdallahNaher Aisha, DamascusTishreen
Mika YamamotoAleppoJapanese reporter for Japan Press
Ali AbbasJdaidet Artouz, southwest of DamascusJournalist for SANA who was killed at his home
Bara'a Yusuf al-BushiAl-TallCitizen journalist
Hatem Abu YehyaAl-TallSyrian News Channel
Mohammed al-SaeedJdaidet Artouz, southwest of DamascusSANA TV presenter who was kidnapped and executed
Ahmad SalamDamascusCitizen journalist
Zuhair Muhammed Al-ShaherDeir ez-ZorCitizen journalist
Mahmoud SudqiIdlib GovernorateCitizen journalist
Mohamed al-HusniAl-Qusayr, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist and director of the Media Centre in Al Qusour
Ali Juburi al-KaabiDamascusIraqi journalist working for Al Roaa
Falah Taha DamascusIraqi journalist working for Al Roaa
Ihsan al Buni Damascus Al-Thawra
Suhaib DibDamascusCitizen journalist
Alaa Umar JumaaKansabaCitizen journalist
Mohamed Hamdo HallaqAzaz Citizen journalist
Mohammed Ali Al HaymadDamascus Citizen journalist
Samer Khalil Al-Sataleh, aka Abou YasserDamascus Citizen journalist
Mohammad ShammaDamascus Syrian News Channel
Zaid KahelDamascus Syrian News Channel
Sami Abu AminDamascus Syrian News Channel
Wael Omar BaradJarjarazCitizen journalist
Ghias Khaled Al-HmouriaDamscus Citizen journalist
Hamza Mahmoud OthmanHomsCitizen journalist
Omar Al-GhantawiHomsCitizen journalist
Ahmed HamadaHoms Citizen journalist
Bassim Barakat DarwishAl-Rastan, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist & founder of the Rastan Media Center
Ayham Youssef Al HaririHouranCitizen journalist
Khaled Al-Bakir Al-Qusayr, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist & founder of Alaasi Revolution News Network
Abdulhameed Idriss MatarAl-Qusayr, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist
Bassel ShehadehHomsCitizen journalist
Ahmed Al AssamHomsCitizen journalist
Ammar Mohamed Zado Damascus director of Shaam News Network
Ahmed Adnan Al-AshlaqDamascus Shaam News Network
Lawrence Fahmy Al-NaimiDamascus Shaam News Network
Hasan AzhariLattakiaCitizen journalist who was arrested, tortured, and killed in Damascus at The Military Security prison
Abdul Ghani KaakehAleppo Citizen journalist
Khaled Mahmoud KabbishoIdlibCitizen journalist
Alaa al-Din Hassan al-DouriHama GovernorateCitizen journalist
Sameer Shalab al-ShamHomsCitizen journalist
Ahmed Abdollah FakhriyehDumeir, Rif Dimashq GovernorateCitizen journalist
Anas Al-HoulaniHomsCitizen journalist
Ahmed Mohamed DjibrilIdlibCitizen journalist who was 17 years old at the time he was shot and killed
Walid BlediDarkush Algerian-British freelance journalist
Naseem IntririDarkush Algerian-French freelance journalist
Jawan Mohammed QatnaAl-Hasakeh Kidnapped citizen journalist for Free Derbassiyeh Coordination Committee whose body was later discovered
Amr KaakaDoma Citizen journalist
Abdullah Khaled AwadAl-Qusayr, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist
Anas al-TarshaHoms Citizen journalist
Remi OchlikHomsFrench freelance photographer for IP3 Press photo agency
Marie ColvinHomsAmerican journalist working for The Sunday Times
Rami al-SayedHoms Citizen journalist
Mazhar Tayyara HomsFreelance journalist for Agence France-Presse, The Guardian, Die Welt
Saleh Samih MurjanKarm Zeitun Citizen journalist
Usama Burhan IdrissHoms Citizen journalist
Gilles JacquierHomsFrench citizen reporting for France 2
Shoukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Bourghoul Damascus al-Thawra and Radio Damas
Muawiya Ibrahim AyoubAl-Rastan, Homs GovernorateCitizen journalist
Muatassim Al-SalehHamaCitizen journalist
Basil al-SayedHoms Died in an improvised hospital from a gunshot wound suffered five days earlier
Rami Ismail Iqbala Syrian prisonCitizen journalist
Bilal JibssIdlib Citizen journalist
Hamza Khalid AmerShamseen Citizen journalist
Firas BarshanHomsCitizen journalist
Nizar Adnan HumsaHoms Citizen journalist who died while in custody of the Syrian intelligence agency
Ferzat JarbanAl-Qusayr, Homs GovernorateFreelance TV camera operator
Ahmed Souleymane DaheekTalbiseh, HomsCitizen journalist, shot

Professional or citizen journalists/media activists killed outside of Syria

DateNameLocationNotesRefs
Unknown journalist killed Arsal, LebanonJournalist killed by missiles fired from a Syrian jet.
Ali ShaabanWadi Khaled, LebanonLebanese Camera operator for Al-Jadeed television.

Professional journalists who died from other circumstances

DateNameLocationNotesRefs
Anthony ShadidSyrian-Turkish borderAmerican award-winning New York Times reporter who died from an asthma attack while reporting in Syria.

Professional journalists and citizen journalists/media activists who were missing and then freed

DateNameLocationNotesRefs
29 April 2011 – 18 May 2011Dorothy ParvazDamascusAl Jazeera. She carries Iranian, Canadian and U.S. passports. She was abducted by government forces, deported to Iran, and eventually released there.
13 December 2012 – 17 December 2012Richard EngelMa’arrat MisrinNBC TV. American TV reporter, producer, camera operator, and two crew were abducted after an ambush and held captive for 5 days until rebels freed the team from the group of Syrian loyalists known Shabiha.
October 2015 – 16 September 2016Janina FindeisenAl-DanaGerman freelance reporter for Süddeutsche Zeitung and NDR, traveled to Syria after an invitation from a friend, even though she was pregnant. She was abducted then released by Jabhat al-Nusra after a sharia court ruled her kidnapping un-Islamic.
January 2017 – January 2020Shiraaz MohamedSouth African photojournalist for the charity Gift of the Givers, freed after three years of abduction. Believed abducted by ISIL.