Two French journalists Kidnapped in Syria

{{French President François Hollande demanded the immediate release on Friday of two French radio journalists missing in Syria.}}

“We have indeed lost contact with these two journalists, but we do not yet know the exact circumstances,” Hollande, on a three-day visit to Japan, told a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“I demand the immediate release of these journalists because they do not represent any nation. These are men who have worked so the world can get information. Journalists must be treated as journalists,” Hollande said.

The two missing journalists have been identified as Europe 1 radio correspondent Didier François, 53, and freelance photographer Edouard Elias, 22. French business daily “Les Echos” reported that they were abducted by four armed men near Aleppo in northern Syria along with their fixer and their driver, and that the driver was later released.

According to Hollande’s office, the two men were intercepted at a check-point.

“They disappeared, we must be careful. We don’t know who took them, sometimes opposition groups do such things,” a source in the president’s entourage said.

French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said François and Elias could have been kidnapped “given that they were in an area where the situation is extremely dangerous”.

Europe 1 confirmed that they had lost contact with the two journalists.

{France24}