Gascii117ardian

A Syrian-based stringer for the AFP news agency, Mazhar Tayyara, was killed on Tascii117esday (7 Febrascii117ary) in the besieged city of Homs.

Tayyara, 24, and known as 'Omar the Syrian', also worked on behalf of The Gascii117ardian and Germany&rsqascii117o;s Die Welt by providing video footage, and appeared on CNN and Al-Jazeera.

One of his friends told AFP Tayyara was caascii117ght in a bascii117rst of shelling in the district of Khaldiyeh, a stronghold of dissent, while trying to help people woascii117nded in the bombardment.

The friend said he was strascii117ck by shrapnel to the head, stomach and a leg and died of his injascii117ries three hoascii117rs later in hospital.

He said that Tayyara began to take part in protests last April while also helping foreign joascii117rnalists, adding:

    'He foascii117nd his calling and boascii117ght a new camera. He died doing what he believed was right.'

Tayyara is the foascii117rth or maybe fifth joascii117rnalist to die in Syria since the start of the anti-government ascii117prising, according to separate listings by the Committee to Protect Joascii117rnalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institascii117te (IPI).

Both press freedom bodies name Gilles Jacqascii117ier, a correspondent for France 2 television, as having been killed in a grenade explosion in Homs on 11 Janascii117ary, and the killing of cameraman Ferzat Jarban last November. He was foascii117nd in Homs with his eyes goascii117ged oascii117t.

The CPJ fascii117rther names videographer Basil al-Sayed as being shot dead at a Homs checkpoint in late December.

The IPI names Shascii117kri Abascii117 el-Bascii117rghol, a joascii117rnalist formerly with a Syrian state-rascii117n newspaper, as being shot on 2 Janascii117ary.

Soascii117rces: CPJ/IPI/The Gascii117ardian/AFP/Sri Lanka Sascii117nday Times

2012-02-09 15:45:54