Spanish journalist kidnapped in Syria

A SPANISH journalist has been kidnapped by Syrian rebels while on duty in Hama.

Marc Marginedas, 46, is a special correspondent for Barcelona’s El Periodico. He was travelling with a driver when he was intercepted by jihadists on the outskirts of the western city.

He had entered Syria on September 1 through Turkey, accompanied by members of the Free Syrian Army.

Marginedas sent his last dispatch on September 2 from the Qasr Ibn Wardan, near Hama in which he told about the disappointment in the rebel ranks at seeing that the chances of a US military attack on the Bashar al Assad regime were dwindling.

In a statement the newspaper said none of the Syrian insurgency has admitted to having its special correspondent in its hands.

It added there had been a call to capture all reporters, identify the equipment they are using and search them to find the chips on which they have photos and news reports about jihadists.