Two French journalists finally escape embattled city

Edith Bouvier and William Daniels, two French journalists who had been trapped in the embattled Syrian city of Homs since 22 February, crossed the border into Lebanon safely yesterday afternoon and were taken to Hôtel-Dieu de France hospital in Beirut last night. They are due to be flown home to France this afternoon. Reporters Without Borders is extremely relieved to know that they are finally safe. British photographer Paul Conroy, who like Bouvier was injured in the bombardment of the press centre in Homs on 22 February, was smuggled into Lebanon on 28 February in an operation in which many Syrians were killed. The Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa reached Lebanon the next day. The official Syrian news agency Sana meanwhile quoted a Syrian foreign ministry “competent source” as saying: “For humanitarian reasons and after considerable effort, the relevant authorities this morning located the bodies of US journalist Marie Colvin and French journalist Rémi Ochlik buried in the area which armed terrorist groups had controlled in Baba Amr, in Homs.” Reporters Without Borders hopes that the authorities will do everything possible ensure that the bodies of the two journalists are handed over to their families.