Dubai: Efforts to rescue French journalist Edith Bouvier trapped in Homs were halted last minute for "her safety" after the Free Syria Army learned of a plot to use her as a bargaining chip with the French government.
Speaking to Gulf News, Omar Al Homsi, a senior officer in the Free Syria Army operating in Homs said that while British photographer Paul Conroy successfully escaped from Syria, the Le Figaro journalist refused evacuation after learning of a ploy by the regime to use her to pressure the government of Nicholas Sarkozy ahead of upcoming French elections.
"She was returned back to Bab Amr from which she was taken and is currently suffering from foot injuries. The rescue operation was aborted for her own safety," he said. "A group of FSA fighters in charge of protecting demonstrators and journalists were assigned to evacuate Conroy and Bouvier after they were injured in attacks on a makeshift press centre where two other journalists were killed," he explained.
The group came under heavy enemy artillery fire by Shabiha militants and two FSA fighters were killed and several others injured, according to Al Homsi.
The group then split into two groups. Conroys group managed to cross into Lebanon and the other group returned to Bab Amr, he explained. As for American Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin and her French photographer Remi Ochlik who were killed last week in the same attack, their bodies are currently being held in a freezer unit in a truck, until they can be safetly repatriated to their respective countries.
