Risks Increase to Cover Syria War
Journalists covering Syria face increased number of abductions.
As the battle against President Bashar al-Assad has attracted more extremist groups into Syria, the country now becomes one of the most dangerous places for journalists. Abductions have increased sharply this year. Western journalists think twice before covering the war, and Syrian fixers have to spend more time on finding abducted journalists instead of helping them report.
Dutch war reporter Bud Wichers, 35, admits that the risks of abduction have significantly increased, but when a Dutch media agency asked him to cover the conflict in Syria, he decided to go, he told Al-Monitor on Aug. 12 from Syria. For his own safety, he keeps his exact location to himself, after taking extra measures to guarantee his safety.
