International journalists report from the 'death zone' of Mosul

The deaths of two journalists in Mosul have once again raised concerns about the safety of journalists reporting from the world's hottest battleground.

Regardless of danger, put yourself in danger

According toAFP, a landmine exploded, killing Iraqi journalist Bakhtiyar Addad, 28, on June 19. A short time later, Addad's French colleague, Stephan Villeneuve, also died from his injuries.

Iraqi soldiers fight against IS in the Old City of Mosul. Photo: Reuters

Both journalists were killed while covering the battle between Iraqi special forces andISin the “death zone” of Mosul. This battle is especially fierce when IS does not hesitate to use about 100,000 civilians trapped here as “human shields” for them.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RFS), 28 journalists have been killed in Iraq since 2014. RFS is also an organization that regularly reports on journalists killed in Iraq.

RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire affirmed that “Iraq is one of the deadliest countries for journalists. Iraq was one of the three countries with the highest number of journalists killed while working in the world in 2015 and 2016.”

Moreover, covering the battle in Mosul is particularly difficult, especially in the narrow streets of the Old City, where IS militants are hiding. Ziad Al-Ajili, a member of the Iraq Press Freedom Observatory, said that nine journalists - including eight Iraqis - have been killed in Mosul since last fall.

France Televisions chief reporter Etienne Leenhardt said: “Mosul“Musol is the most dangerous place in the world for journalists. You can’t predict what will happen. Snipers from both sides hide in the bushes, drones drop explosives on their vehicles. Mosul is a maze of alleys with people living in them. It’s almost impossible to see much.”

Journalists - top target of IS

“Mosul is the last stand for a few hundred IS terrorists who are desperately fighting to defend their stronghold,” said veteran correspondent for the French newspaper Le Figaro Georges Malbrunot.

Georges Malbrunot was held hostage by Islamic militants in Iraq for four months in 2004. He has since returned to Iraq to report on the war there. “The IS militants are trying to inflict maximum damage on soldiers and civilians. Human life has no value to them,” said Georges Malbrunot.

Sharing this view, RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire said that the human and material losses suffered by news agencies when reporting on the war in Iraq, especially since IS captured Mosul in 2014, are particularly serious and very worrying.

“IS wants Mosul cleared of journalists, they have forced them to leave the city,” said Mr. Deloire, adding that IS is still holding at least 10 journalists hostage.

According to Leenhardt of France Televisions, most of the journalists reporting from Mosul are volunteers. They must strictly adhere to all personal safety requirements, such as wearing helmets and bulletproof vests. They also carry tracking devices so that people can find them in case of emergency.

However, according to journalist Leenhardt, there were cases where they had to cancel their original plans: “We sent a team to Raqqa (Syria) last week but had to pull them out immediately because we realized that we could not let them take unnecessary risks.”

However, journalist Leenhardt affirmed that reporting on the fighting is still a must: “We need to report on the fate of civilians, on political calculations, on conflicts of moral views in the war. We cannot miss any information”./.

According to VOV