This morning brought the sad news that two western journalists – reported to be the Sunday Times’s Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik – have been killed in the Syrian city of Homs after the house they were staying in was shelled. The American-born Colvin was the only British newspaper journalist in the city.
In a BBC report just yesterday, Colvin, who lost an eye when she suffered a shrapnel wound while reporting from Sri Lanka in 2001, described the bloodshed as “absolutely sickening”.
“I watched a little baby die today,” she said. “Absolutely horrific. There is just shells, rockets and tank fire pouring into civilian areas of this city and it is just unrelenting.”
An activist in Homs named Omar told Reuters that at least two other foreign journalists were wounded. “Up to this point we have two dead. They are still under the rubble because the shelling hasn’t stopped,” he said. “No one can get close to the house.”
“There is another American female journalist who is in a really serious condition, she really needs urgent care,” Omar added.
Conservative MP Rory Stewart has paid tribute to Colvin on Twitter.
Marie Colvin brilliant on Iraq + Libya, warm, wise, brave, funny, patient + generous. A friend, hero+ inspiration. We’ll miss her very much
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) February 22, 2012
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