Three Syrian TV employees kidnapped 40 km north of Aleppo

Reporters Without Borders condemns the abduction of three Orient TV employees in Tel Rifaat (40 km north of Aleppo) on 25 July and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. Reporter Obeida Batal, soundman Hosam Nizam Al-Dine and technician Aboud Al-Atik were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen during an attack on the Orient TV office in Tel Rifaat. Computers, video equipment and a TV broadcasting truck were seized during the raid. The families of the three kidnap victims told Orient TV that they have received no word from them since their abduction. In a statement posted on its website, Orient TV said it was very worried for them. This triple abduction came just one day after Polish photojournalist Marcin Suder was kidnapped in Saraqeb, in the northwestern province of Idlib. There is still no news of him. Reporters Without Borders is alarmed by this latest wave of abductions and urges the different parties to the conflict to respect the local and foreign media personnel that are trying to cover the fighting.