Syrian driver says pro-Assad militia killed Japanese journalist

Maccain would've stopped this. But he would be poking iran head.

This is a real terrible tragedy. NOW we know that Assad is beyond saving. I hope this man will get caught and put somewhere in the darkest Prison. the man is a thug and thugs like him should be locked up forever.

The journalists decided to change their plan and go and film the rescue mission though the rebel commander warned against it.

Tragic. But I'm never quite sure why some journalists and even amateur photographers or tourists ignore advice from people basically saying, "You'll likely get killed if you go in there."

I was waiting for it. Here comes the predictable political spin. Every incident gets milked for tor the optimum propaganda potential.

Of course, if they were asking the Alevite milita, they would say the Sunnis did it. But the media has decided which propaganda to believe.

bassfunk:

" This is a real terrible tragedy. NOW we know that Assad is beyond saving. "

Hook, line, sinker! Alas, you are not alone.

Many innocent people are being killed (including women and children) everyday in all these barbaric wars. I wish they too got the same amount of attention and recognition... Until then, as a spices we have failed to protect those in need.

she knew the risk

She went on a rescue mission of civilians with the rebels ?????????? That is beyond belief. Look at her last video , talking to parents with new born babies , getting school kids to drag flower stands into the street and make a BARRICADE. Mr. Smug rebel on TV and loving it . Get real !!!! She entered a war zone with rebels. Stuff happens

I agree with Terrence.....Walk into a warzone with these crazys mo fo`s....expect to get shot.., Tragedy NO....Stupidity YES!!!

Yamamoto-san was a veteran in war & conflict zone reporting. She was previously in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. Show some respect.

Obviously she knew the risks, but it is people like her that bring us the scoop on what is happening in these areas.

RIP.

I hate to say it but I'll say it anyway.... when you play with a bull you're likely to get the horns. In this fine example of tragedy or not, She got the horns. I feel more for her father that is in so much pain for his loss. As for Ms. Yamamoto, I am in shock that as smart as she was, she was still stubborn enough to go in there and report her own death. That is beyond me.... yes she was brave but she could have gone in with othe media groups not by herself with rebels. Those rebels are only protecting themselves and cannot do much for tag-alongs.

War is wrong.

She went on a rescue mission of civilians with the rebels ?????????? That is beyond belief.

I am glad at least one person caught that.

Anyway, its obvious that the Syrian driver is pro-rebel, so of course he will say that pro-Assad forces killed her.

referring to paramilitary groups loyal to Assad accused of some of the worst atrocities committed during the 17-month-old uprising.

Accused by whom? I do recall the observer missions accusing the rebel side of committing many atrocities.

The journalists decided to change their plan and go and film the rescue mission though the rebel commander warned against it.

Hmmm, why didn't the commander want her to film the "rescue"?

Walking around with a bunch of terrorists attempting to carry out a brutal regime change will put anyone under great risk. And it is very possible that she was murdered by the rebels themselves. The murder of such a pretty young woman does make the government side look very bad (assuming you're one of those who have swallowed the hook, line, and sinker).

It's good to see more details finally emerging, but it is likely to be some time before the public knows what actually transpired.

@Ramzel- Exactly. Agreed. RIP.

The al-Hurra journalists were reported detained by the militiamen in Aleppo and have not been heard of since

This is interesting, exactly what type of militiamen? and why have they been detained?

“The rebels were getting blocked in. There were mortars falling behind them and shabbiha advancing in front of them.”

I watched the video, I didn't see any of this.

Rebels retrieved Yamamoto’s body and found her colleague Sato sheltering on the fifth storey of a nearby building.

How did they do that in the middle of a firefight? A

As far as I can tell, there was no firefight, only she was shot and killed, in perfect PR fashion. I wonder who really shot her.

Cui Bono

Who was responsible of her death?the rebels..?the pro assad men?Nobody knows.She risked herself because she wanted the whole world to know what really is happening there. A hero for the sake of journalism.May she rest in Peace!I condoled with the Yamamoto family.

I see the tin foil hat brigade are out in force today.

Who killed Ms Yamamoto?

Well, the first article we read on this, where her companion and colleague, Mr Sato, who was accompanying members of the FSA with Ms Yamamoto and was right next to her when she died, said he thought it was men who "appeared to be government soldiers". This article, quoting her driver, said it was Pro Assad militia. But your good friends from the Tin Foil Hat Brigade read all of that and decide it must be wrong and call you fish and sheep for believing the filthy liars who are part of the broader conspiracy designed to fool the west into supporting military intervention in Syria and just arbitrarily conclude that something like this could only really be perpetrated by the rebels despite the OVERWHEALMING EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY. zzzzz...zz........zzzzzzzz...zz

there are a number of contradictions in the version of the story, so the facts are definitely not all out.

if the area was being attacked with fighter jet and bombed, is it likely that there would be a small contingent of pro-government militiamen marching around in formation? and in the area of the aerial bombardment?

there are inconsistencies in the story of the attack as well, and more than one version.

that all sounds somewhat suspect.

You do not believe everything they say ... I am just wondering what the hell she is doing with the rebels.. Did her company or her group had a plan ?? She wanted to be a hero ? Her agency wants her to ? .. Or she idolized Ms Amanpour , the noted war correspondent , ms Amanpour plans her move , not to be caught in these crazy war & die being shot ... I respect the Japanese woman correspondent, her courage especially but it's a life wasted on stupid war where men who are like spoiled grade school boys want to prove to the world they are men who have brain as big as a pea or their brains are in their balls !!!

How about a title "A pro-rebel driver says pro-Assad militia killed Japanese journalist, who illegally entered a war zone in a group of pro-American reporters, guarded by rebel fighters and with the aim to show the conflict from the pro-rebel side". Isn't it what the truth is about?

There are also other journalists who have dissapeared. Seems kind of risky for the rebels to consider fooling the whole of the western media at the cost of lives of these journalists just to make the government look worse than it already looks. Wonder then how the killing of hundreds of civilians is to be explained. While I do agree we need to be sure with our facts before jumping to conclusions, it basically appears that the overall acts of government forces have pretty much gone overboard, beyond anyone's control.

Death to no-one in Syria.

Syria is now the most dangerous place on earth for journalists cpj.org RIP Mika Yamamoto- You died doing a heroic thing, -trying to show Japan and the world what life is like for women and children in a war zone. I can only imagine after seeing so much death and destruction and having come so close to it in the past yourself that you knew the risks. That makes you a hero in my book. I want her family and loved ones to know, as to those of all innocent victims of crime and war, that they do not grieve alone.

Amigos, time to grow some huevos!! If you are not ready to give your life for something you truly believe in, then you are not truly living your life to the fullest!! Yamamoto san gave her life so others would one day live in peace and tranquility like so many Japanese do now, but we should never ever take peace for granted!!! Yamamoto San banzai!!! 山本さん永遠まで万歳‼