Journalist Missing In Syria

[HuffingtonPost]

ROME, April 29 (Reuters) - Italian journalist Domenico  Quirico, a correspondent for Turin's la Stampa newspaper, has  not been heard from for 20 days after entering Syria from  Lebanon earlier this month, the daily's editor-in-chief Mario  Calabresi said on Monday.                

The 62-year-old Quirico, an experienced war reporter,  entered Syria on April 6 to report on the country's civil war,  and has not been in contact since April 9.                

After six days of silence, la Stampa together with the  journalist's family contacted the Italian Foreign Ministry  crisis unit, Calabresi said in an article published on the  newspaper's website.                

After a fruitless search for the reporter, it was decided to  publicise his disappearance in the hope that it turns up some  leads, Calabresi said.                

Quirico has reported on conflicts in Sudan, Uganda and Libya  and on the Arab spring uprisings, Calabresi said, and it was not  uncommon for him to disappear for several days at a time, though  never as many as 20.                

The last time Quirico was in Mali, he was not heard from for  six days, Calabresi said.                

Four Italian journalists were kidnapped in Syria earlier  this month, and were released after a little more than a week in  captivity. The civil war has made Syria one of the most  dangerous countries in the world, including for reporters.     (Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Mike Collett-White)

Via: HuffingtonPost