Al Jazeera Journalist Killed while Covering Conflict in Syria, Days After Death of 3 Syrian Scribes

Al Jazeera journalist Mahran al Deeri was killed in Syria on Wednesday while covering the ongoing conflict in the region.

Deeri was killed in the same area in rural Daraa where three journalists from the Orient News, which is opposed to the Assad regime, were killed on Monday.

Deeri died when the Syrian forces opened fire at rebel fighters on Wednesday in the city of Al Sheikh Maskin. His car had hit a vehicle carrying rebel fighters, as he had turned off the headlights, his family said.

"Targeting journalists will not deter us from reporting the truth which we have been committed to for over 18 years," Al Jazeera's Acting Director General, Mostefa Souag said, following Deeri's death.

Earlier in the week, the Committee to Protect Journalists had reported the deaths of three Syrian journalists of the Orient News, who were allegedly attacked by Syrian forces. Their vehicle was hit by a missile fired by the forces, the committee had said.

"So many Syrian journalists have paid the ultimate price for reporting on this conflict, but even for Syria, the loss of three journalists in one attack is devastating," Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator said on the website.

According to CPJ, more than 70 journalists have lost their lives while covering the conflict in Syria that has raged on for more than three years.