Kidnapped French journalists found on Turkey's Syrian border
- 10 years ago
Four French journalists held hostage in Syria by rebel militants for nearly a year walked to freedom on Saturday.
They were found blindfolded by Turkish soldiers on the Syrian border, their hands bound.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) FREED FRENCH JOURNALIST DIDIER FRANCOIS SAYING:
"I'm very happy to be free, thank you."
Didier Francois is a veteran war correspondent for Europe 1 radio. He and photographer Edouard Elias were taken captive in June.
Niolas Henin was working for Le Point magazine and Pierre Torres for the French-German tv channel Arte, when they were taken later that month.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) FREED FRENCH JOURNALIST DIDIER FRANCOIS SAYING:
"We are happy to be free and thank you very much. I mean, we thank the Turkish authorities because they really helped us. It is very nice to see the sky, to be able to walk, to speak freely and I am really happy."
French media reports they'd been kidnapped by the rebel group Islamic State of Iraq
They were found blindfolded by Turkish soldiers on the Syrian border, their hands bound.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) FREED FRENCH JOURNALIST DIDIER FRANCOIS SAYING:
"I'm very happy to be free, thank you."
Didier Francois is a veteran war correspondent for Europe 1 radio. He and photographer Edouard Elias were taken captive in June.
Niolas Henin was working for Le Point magazine and Pierre Torres for the French-German tv channel Arte, when they were taken later that month.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) FREED FRENCH JOURNALIST DIDIER FRANCOIS SAYING:
"We are happy to be free and thank you very much. I mean, we thank the Turkish authorities because they really helped us. It is very nice to see the sky, to be able to walk, to speak freely and I am really happy."
French media reports they'd been kidnapped by the rebel group Islamic State of Iraq