Two reporters missing in Syria, press group demands answers

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 March 2026 |  JP Middle East Desk

Two journalists, German Eva Michelmann and Turkish Ahmed Polad, went missing in Raqqa on Jan. 18 while reporting amid intensified fighting. CPJ says witnesses saw them taken in a vehicle linked to government forces and urges authorities to disclose their fate.

Summary

RAQQA — Two journalists, one German and one Turkish, have gone missing in Syria while reporting on conflict developments, prompting the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to call for urgent clarification about their whereabouts and safety.

The journalists — German reporter Eva Maria Michelmann and Turkish-Kurdish journalist Ahmed Polad — were last heard from on January 18 while reporting in the northeastern Syrian city of Raqqa, according to CPJ and colleagues familiar with their work. Both had been contributing to Istanbul-based media outlets covering developments in the region.

Disappearance during reporting in Raqqa

CPJ said the two journalists were in Raqqa as fighting intensified in the area. According to accounts shared by colleagues, the reporters were sheltering in a building with civilians when government forces moved into the area. Witnesses cited by their colleagues said the journalists were separated from others leaving the building, and taken away in a vehicle linked to government forces.

Communication with the pair was lost shortly afterward, and there has been no confirmed information about their fate since then. CPJ said the circumstances raise serious concerns about their safety and the possibility that they may have been detained.

CPJ urges authorities to clarify fate

In a statement issued March 11, CPJ called on Syrian authorities and other armed actors operating in the region to disclose any information about the journalists’ whereabouts and ensure their safety. The press freedom organization said the disappearance underscores the continuing dangers facing reporters covering conflict zones where control of territory is fragmented among multiple forces.

Press freedom groups have long warned that Syria remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. Reporters working in the country face threats ranging from detention and kidnapping to crossfire in active combat zones.

Ongoing risks for foreign correspondents

The case highlights the persistent risks faced by foreign correspondents and local journalists working in Syria’s conflict-affected regions. Over more than a decade of war, reporters have been detained by state forces, abducted by armed groups, or killed while covering front-line developments.

According to CPJ research, at least 145 journalists have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011, while the fate of several others who disappeared during the war remains unknown. Advocacy groups say unresolved cases and limited transparency from authorities continue to hamper efforts to account for missing journalists.

WHY THIS MATTERS: For Pakistani journalists who sometimes report from conflict-affected regions or politically sensitive environments, the case highlights the importance of safety protocols, risk assessment, and secure communication while reporting in unstable areas. It also underscores the role of international advocacy groups in pressing authorities to account for missing journalists and maintain pressure for transparency.

ATTRIBUTION: Based on a March 11, 2026, report by Turkish Minute and a public statement released the same day by the CPJ.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.