Kidnapping of John Cantlie and Jeroen Oerlemans was a new and unexpected hazard for those trying to report the Syrian conflict
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The civil war in Syria has claimed the lives of a number of journalists, most notably those of Marie Colvin and Remy Ochlik during shelling by the army in Homs, highlighting the dangers of covering the most brutal episode of the Arab Spring.
But the kidnapping of John Cantlie and Jeroen Oerlemans, two young freelance photographers, by a rebel group was a new and unexpected hazard for those trying to report the conflict outside the regime’s censorious control.
The Independent was in Syria at the time and I recall the anxiety my colleagues and I felt for John and Jeroen and also a sense of unease about what this meant for the rest of us. The abductions had taken place at a point just across the Turkish border frequently used by the media on their way into Idlib and Aleppo. We knew the young fixer who had taken the pair along the route and there were questions about his judgment and, also, loyalty.
The kidnappers were said to be a large jihadist group including British Pakistanis, something most of us had not encountered before. These fighters expressed visceral hatred of the West and appeared to regard the media as potential spies.
The development also worried many in the Syrian resistance. I remember the commander of one khatiba (battalion) in Aleppo telling us that they were going to find the extremsit group and disarm and expel them. At the end John and Jeroen were rescued by Syrian rebels, but what happened to that foreign jihadist group remains a mystery.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments