An American journalist abducted 6 weeks ago: his family launches an appeal

Read in Arabic (بالعربية) Reporters Without Borders calls for the immediate and unconditional release of James Foley, an American journalist who was kidnapped on 22 November in Taftanaz, a village in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib. According to Global Post, one of his employers, gunmen intercepted his vehicle as he was heading towards the Turkish border. Since then, his family has received no news of him and no group has claimed responsibility for his abduction. “We are very concerned about James Foley,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “He must be released without delay. “He is a professional journalist who knows war zones well and who was providing useful and impartial reporting on the situation in Syria.” After saying nothing for six weeks, Foley’s family broke their silence yesterday, appealing publicly to his abductors. “We want Jim to come safely home, or at least we need to speak with him to know he’s okay,” John Foley, the journalist's father, said. “To the people who have Jim, please contact us so we can work together toward his release.” Foley worked for several news media including Agence France-Presse, which has expressed its support for his family. “We are contacting many people and we are doing everything possible to help obtain his release,” AFP chairman and chief executive Emmanuel Hoog said. Many journalists have been kidnapped or have disappeared in recent months in Syria. The American reporter Austin Tice has been missing since 13 August.