It is critical that all efforts be made to establish how a credentialed group of journalists wearing clear insignia became the target of an attack, AFP director says
The French News Agency (Agence France-Presse, AFP) today asked Israel and Lebanon to carry out a “thorough investigation” into yesterday’s attack in which a Reuters journalist was killed and six journalists were injured, including two from AFP.
It is critical that all efforts be made cto ascertain how an accredited group of journalists wearing clear insignia was the target of an attack, said in a statement the director general of Agence France-Presse, Fabrice Fries.
The attack took place in southern Lebanon, on the border with Israel. a zone that has been the scene of an exchange of fire between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Israeli army since the start of the war between Israel and Gaza.
Reuters reporter Issam Abdullah, 37, was killed and six journalists (two from AFP, two from Reuters and two from Al-Jazeera) were injured, some seriously, the statement said.
The journalists victims of the attack said that they were hit by artillery or tank fire coming from Israeli territory, the AFP statement said.
“We call on all those involved in the current tension in the Middle East to respect the work of journalists and do everything possible to protect their safety.”
The Lebanese army today blamed Israel for the attack. For its part, the Israeli army expressed its “deep regret” for the death of Issam Abdullah, without acknowledging his responsibility and clarified that it is proceeding with “verifications”.
According to the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders, 10 journalists have been killed in the region during this “bloody week”, 7 of them in Gaza and Lebanon.
Source :Skai
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