Iraqi Injured Cameramen forced to return to Baghdad

14/10/2023

 Thaer al-Sudani and Maher al-Mashhadani, Reuters cameramen, were lightly wounded by Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon.The  Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq learned from a source in the agency, that the two colleagues work in the Baghdad office, and were dispatched to southern Lebanon, to cover the escalating events, indicating that  the shelling targeted the agency’s vehicle during their travel near a village bordering with Israel,, which resulted in the injury of cameraman Thaer Al-Sudani with a shrapnel in the hand and leg. whereas his colleague Maher Al-Mashhadani sustained a similar injury in the hand.He added that the two colleagues were transferred to the hospital for treatment, and left soon after they were medically stable, and were ordered to return to Baghdad.At the time that we are wishing the two colleagues safety, the Association expresses its concern on the whereabouts and level of safety that the media staff need to tackle with under escalating events.The association also calls on all journalists  to exercise caution and to be alert, and to take refuge in safe places during the reporting of events, especially at the time of the outbreak of wars and the escalation of events in the region, in order to maintain their lives.