Report on the survival conditions of war correspondents in Syria: Why risk going to the front line?

On February 21, serial explosions occurred in many places in Syria, causing hundreds of casualties.

China News Service, March 4th: The taxi in which Patel and four reporters were traveling was speeding along the highway in northwest Syria. The military plane that had been following them suddenly swooped down and dropped two bombs. .

After narrowly escaping, the taxi driver screamed. "Those were the weirdest 10 seconds of my life," said Patel. He turned to his companion and asked, "Do you still want to stay in Syria?"

This is what Patel said in 2012 Writing the scene in the article "I went to Syria to learn how to be a journalist", he returned to London, England after experiencing many life and death disasters.

Today, the Syrian civil war has entered its sixth year, and there are many war reporters like Patel who continue to convey information to the outside world. For them, danger is everywhere.

On March 1, eight artillery shells exploded in northern Syria not far from the multinational press group, injuring many people, including Chinese journalists. The incident occurred less than three days before the Syrian ceasefire agreement came into effect.

The British media rated Syrian war reporters as one of the "top ten high-risk professions in the world." According to data released by the International Federation of Journalists, 112 journalists were killed in crossfire in 2015.

Using their lives to record events - why are these reporters willing to take risks and go to the front line?

"Why should I report on war?... Centuries have passed, and war has not changed significantly. Cannons are still rumbling on the battlefield, and blood and blood are flying everywhere; wives and children are scattered outside the battlefield; both warring parties are not happy. I am willing to disclose the truth. Therefore, my job is to be a war witness," said Colvin, a famous American war reporter.

Colvin has reported on several wars such as the Iran-Iraq war and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the past 30 years, and his left eye was blown off by a grenade. In 2012, she was killed by gunfire in Syria.

In 2014, American journalist Foley was killed by an extremist organization. His mother showed strength in the pain, "We have never been so proud of our son. He gave his life. To show the world the suffering of the Syrian people."

The war is the main reason why these journalists are in danger, but some people think that they have not received "the protection they deserve."

In 2013, a photo titled "Blood-Stained Camera" circulated on the Internet. Barakat, a 17-year-old freelance photographer, was unfortunately killed while filming a firefight in a Syrian hospital. Before his death, Barakat still held his video camera in his hand.

The company that hired the teenager was questioned, such as "Is Barakat too young and has he received training in self-protection?" The company did not give a clear answer.

In the face of complex situations in different countries and different battlefields, the United Nations seems to be beyond its reach. In 2015, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on the protection of journalists in armed conflicts and urged the immediate and unconditional release of journalists kidnapped or held hostage. However, news of the reporter's abduction continued to spread.

It is even more difficult for the *** and local armed forces to regard war reporters as absolute neutrals. Because they understand the importance of "public opinion warfare", reporters will even become targets of attacks by some armed groups.

Without the proper protective umbrella and surviving under artillery fire - it seems that war reporters should be strong enough. But Peter, a U.S. reporter stationed in Syria, published a long article "Why it's not worth the risk anymore to report on the war" after Foley was killed.

Peter returned home after working in the Middle East and Afghanistan for 7 years. After he mentioned that he was a war correspondent, he was repeatedly questioned by Americans as to "whether all the reports were true."

"They live in luxurious high-rise buildings... and don't care about the war that is going on. When you risk your life for your readers to get first-hand advice, they are still thinking about all your problems. Taking risks is just to hide some information.” Peter wrote.

War correspondent is undoubtedly a dangerous profession that is sometimes not understood by outsiders. On the crisis-ridden front lines, journalists often sacrifice their lives to protect valuable information and first-hand information. Perhaps only when all the wars on earth subside can they truly put down their responsibilities and responsibilities and experience the tranquility and glory bathed in an atmosphere of peace.