AP cameraman killed and a photographer wounded

Cameraman Saleh Ibrahim and photographer Mohammed Ibrahim, both Iraqi, came under fire from unidentified gunmen as they arrived on the scene of the explosion on 23 April near Al-Yarmook square, said an AP colleague who requested anonymity for security reasons. Both men were very badly injured and their colleague drove them to Al-Jumhuri Hospital in Mosul but Saleh Ibrahim, who had three bullets wounds to the chest, died shortly after being admitted. A doctor at the hospital, Rabei Yassin said that Mohammed Ibrahim, who had shrapnel wounds to the head, was treated there before being transferred to an undisclosed destination under US military escort. "We are appalled at the death of Saleh Ibrahim, which brings to 55 the number of journalists and media assistants killed in Iraq since the start of the war, in March 2003," said Reporters Without Borders, adding, that it was "extremely worried about the condition of Mohammed Ibrahim." "We appeal to all belligerents to at last guarantee the safety of all journalists, who have the courage to cover this particularly bloody conflict, whatever their nationality and for whichever media they work", the world wide press freedom organisation said. The exact circumstances of the engagement remain unclear. Deputy police chief in Mosul, Colonel Wathiq Ali said that the explosion, which also killed two Iraqi civilians, was aimed at the US forces. The journalists' colleague said that US military were present in the area of the explosion and went to the journalists shortly after they had come under fire. Saleh Ibrahim was just 30 years old and was father of five children. AP President and CEO Tom Curley said in a statement, "Our deepest sympathy goes to his family", promising a full investigation of the circumstances of the tragedy. He also saluted Saleh Ibrahim's "fervent dedication to reporting the complete story of Iraq at this historic moment which inspired all who knew and worked with him." He was the second AP journalist to be killed since the beginning of the Iraq conflict. Ismail Taher Mohsin was killed close to his Baghdad home on 2 September 2004 for unknown reasons.