Skip to main content

French journalist dies days after being wounded in Mosul blast

Veronique Robert died following a mine blast earlier this week which also killed two colleagues and injured a third
This file photo taken on 13 November 2007 shows French journalist Veronique Robert in Dubai (AFP)

French journalist Veronique Robert, wounded in the same mine blast that killed two colleagues in the Iraqi city of Mosul earlier this week, has died, employer France Televisions announced Saturday.

Robert had been operated on in Baghdad then was flown to France for treatment overnight Thursday to Friday, but died of her wounds, the public broadcaster said in a statement.

Her death follows that of her colleagues Stephan Villeneuve and Kurdish reporter Bakhtiyar Addad, according to France Televisions and global journalist rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

A video journalist who had covered a number of conflicts across the world, Villeneuve was on Monday filming a piece together with Robert on the battle of Mosul for French news programme Envoye Special, which is aired on public television channel France 2.

"The management and staff at France Televisions sympathise with the pain of his partner Sophie, his four children, his family and all those he was close to. They offer their most sincere condolences," the head of the news department said in a statement.

They were both taken to a hospital on a US military base following the explosion.

Reporter Samuel Forey, who worked for a number of French media organisations including French daily Le Figaro, also suffered light injuries.

"I am very sad for Bakhtiyar and my colleagues, I ask you to not contact me for a couple of days," he wrote on Twitter. 

The journalists were accompanying Iraqi special forces during the battle to reconquer Mosul from the Islamic State group, where some 100,000 civilians are being used as "human shields" by militants, according to the UN.

Stay informed with MEE's newsletters

Sign up to get the latest alerts, insights and analysis, starting with Turkey Unpacked

 
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.