A photojournalist working in Libya has been shot dead by Isis while covering clashes in the coastal city of Sirte between Isis and the forces allied to Libya’s UN-backed government.
Abdelqadir Fassouk, the 28-year-old correspondent for Arraed television, was filming a young fighter on 21 July when he was shot in the head from Isis positions. He died instantly.
Fassouk was the second photojournalist killed in Libya over the past month. Freelancer Khaled al-Zintani was shot in Benghazi on 24 June.
Only a day before his murder, Fassouk had complained to the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press that journalists lacked adequate safety equipment.
In his short career, Fassouk had faced life threatening situations while filming on the front lines. He was shot in the neck and kidnapped during the 2012 Libyan elections.
The battle for Sirte has become increasingly dangerous. Isis took the city last year and has turned it into its north African stronghold in order to control Libya’s coastline.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned both killings and called for journalists to be provided with better safety equipment. IFJ president Philippe Leruth said: “These tragic deaths are a reminder that the safety of journalists while they undertake their work must be a priority.
“Farrouk and al-Zintani braved many dangers in order to comply with their duty to inform and thus endangered their lives, but no journalist should have to put their life at risk for the sake of the news.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists said Fassouk’s death was “a reminder of the terrible price that journalists in Libya are paying to do their jobs.”
CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator, Sherif Mansour. said: “International attention to Libya’s conflict may have faded, but reporters and photographers are still battling dangerous odds to gather and share the news.”