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14-year-old Citizen Journalist Killed Covering Clashes in Syria

Categories: Syria, Middle East & North Africa, Activism, Advocacy, Free Expression, Human Rights, Threatened Voices

Omar Qatifaan, a 14-year-old media activist, was killed 21 May, 2013 while covering clashes between the Syrian Army and the rebel Free Army in the southern Daraa al-Ballad area of Syria near the border with Jordan.

Youth media project Syrian Documents [1] reported on his death, and Syrian news blog YALLA SOURIYA [2] called him the “Spirit of Syria”.

The conflict in Syria, as well as other Arab Spring uprisings, has seen a rise in citizen journalists reporting from the ground on the ongoing war between the country's pro- and anti-government forces. Many have been detained, tortured, and even killed while trying to bring the story of the revolution [3] to the world.

Children have also paid a terrible price during the conflict, with thousands killed [4] during the violence so far.

Media activist Omar was 14 year when he was killed while covering a battle in Daraa, Syria. Source: Twitter account of ‏@RevolutionSyria [5]

Media activist Omar Qatifaan was 14-years-old when he was killed while covering a battle in Daraa, Syria. Photo from the Twitter account of ‏@RevolutionSyria [5]

Another media activist recorded video of Qatifaan after he was killed. The footage was posted on YouTube by SyrianDaysOfRage [6] [GRAPHIC VIDEO]: