French journalists freed after ordeal in Syria

FOUR French journalists taken hostage in Syria last year were freed yesterday after a 10month ordeal in what is the world’s most dangerous country for the media.

French President François Hollande said Edouard Elias, Didier François, Nicolas Henin and Pierre Torres were “in good health despite the very challenging conditions of their captivity”.

Turkish soldiers found them on the border with Syria, the Turkish news agency Dogan said. The soldiers mistook them for smugglers but took them to a police station in the town of Akcakle where they realised they spoke French. — AFP