Activist group and media watchdog say Iraqi journalist killed by rebels in Syria

BEIRUT – A Syrian activist group and an international media watchdog say opposition fighters have killed an Iraqi freelance journalist in northern Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Faysal al-Jumaili was shot dead at a rebel checkpoint in the northwestern province of Idlib on Wednesday.

Soazig Dollet of the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders confirmed al-Jumaili was killed in Idlib, adding that his body was taken to Turkey in order to be sent home later. She said she doesn't know how al-Jumaili was killed.

Dozens of journalist have been killed in Syria since the country's crisis began in March 2011.

The Observatory's chief Rami Abdurrahman and Dollet spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday.