RWB welcomes US journalist’s release in Syria

“We welcome Theo Curtis’ release after 22 months in captivity and we hope that similar efforts will be made to save the lives of other hostages held by militants in Syria,” said Reporters Without Borders assistant research director Virginie Dangles. Curtis, 45, who writes under the name of Theo Padnos, was abducted by Al-Nosra, Al-Qaeda’s official wing in Syria, in southern Turkey as he was about to cross into Syria to report on the situation there. His abduction was kept secret until his release, just days after Islamic State posted a video online showing US journalist James Foley’s staged execution by one of its militants. The video also showed Steven Sotloff, another US journalist who Islamic State is threatening to execute.