Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Javier Espinosa, the correspondent for the Spanish daily newspaper El Mundo, and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, a freelance photojournalist were kidnapped about two months ago at a checkpoint in northern Syria.
The two journalists have been regularly reporting from Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011. Both journalists are alleged to have contacts within the Syrian opposition groups, allowing relatives to reach out to their captors. But negotiations seem to have hit a snag in recent weeks.
“We have reached an impasse with the captors after many weeks of attempted mediation,” said Monica G. Prieto, Espinosa’s wife who is also a journalist covering the Middle East.
“Today we appeal to the Syrian people and all armed groups to help release Javier and Ricardo, who have always been committed to showing the human face and suffering of the Syrian people during these very difficult times.”
There are an estimated 20 or more journalists currently missing or kidnapped in Syria. Malaga born Espinosa was kidnapped in Sierra Leone in 1999.
