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Video: Shocking footage appears to capture moment Egyptian filmed his own death through his lens

Ahmed Samir Assem, a 26-year-old photojournalist, was one of 51 killed on Monday as he took photos outside the Republican Guard building in Cairo

Wednesday 10 July 2013 20:28 BST
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The moment the sniper turned on Ahmed Samir Assem
The moment the sniper turned on Ahmed Samir Assem

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Warning: You may find the footage above disturbing.

Footage has emerged which suggests a journalist captured his own death at the hands of Egyptian army snipers on camera.

Ahmed Samir Assem, a 26-year-old photojournalist, was working for an Egyptian newspaper on Monday when he was killed along with at least 51 others. He was taking pictures of the Republican Guard building in Cairo, where ousted president Mohamed Morsi is believed to be being held.

In the grainy footage, the sniper can clearly be seen shooting at targets, before pointing the gun directly at the camera.

His colleagues at the Al-Horia Wa Al-Adala newspaper said news of his death filtered through when Mr Assem's bloodied camera and mobile phone were found at the scene.

The culture editor of Mr Assem’s newspaper Ahmed Abu Zeid, told The Telegraph: "I received news that Ahmed had been shot by a sniper in the forehead while filming or taking pictures on top of the buildings around the incident.

"Ahmed’s camera was the only one which filmed the entire incident from the first moment.

"He had started filming from the beginning of the prayers so he captured the very beginnings and in the video, you can see tens of victims. Ahmed’s camera will remain a piece of evidence in the violations that have been committed."

The video said to have been recorded by Mr Assem is now being touted as evidence of the massacre in Cairo.

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