Syrian Journalist Arrested by Turkish-Backed Forces
Turkish-backed forces in rebel-held northwest Syria arrested a local Syrian journalist with a history of working with international news agencies, according to his wife and human rights groups Tuesday evening.
Bakr al-Kassem, who has worked with both French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, was taken into custody on Monday afternoon in the al-Bab city, located in northern Aleppo province, one of the few areas of Syria still under the control of non-Kurdish anti-government groups.
Journalists and activists condemned his arrest as part of a broader crackdown on media personnel. Local authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, al-Kassem was dragged and beaten while inquiring about the reason for his arrest. They reportedly presented al-Kassem with “a number of charges, including preparing press reports for several parties.”
Al-Kassem was held by Turkish-backed authorities in Hawar Kilis village along the border with Turkey, according to a video released by his wife, Nabiha Taha, after the initial incident.
Taha reported that police detained her for over two hours before residents and protestors secured her release. al-Kassem, however, was taken to another location, and his current circumstances remain unclear.
“We call on the local authorities in northern Syria to immediately release our correspondent Bakr al-Kassem and allow him to resume his work freely,” said AFP editor-in-chief Sophie Huet.
