France confirms journalist missing in Iraq

    PARIS, Jan. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- French Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that the journalist of French daily Liberation Florence Aubenas and her assistant, Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, had gone missing in Baghdad since Wednesday morning.

 

File photo of Florence Aubenas, Dec,31, 2004.Florence Aubenas, 43, and her Iraqi assistant,Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi,  left their Baghdad hotel early Wednesday but did not return and have not been seen since. (Xinhua photo) Photo dated on Dec. 22, 2004 shows Florence Aubenas, journalist of French daily Liberation, was drinking tea outside the French embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. She and her Iraqi assistant, Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, had gone missing in Baghdad since Wednesday morning. (Xinhua/AFP photo) File photo of Florence Aubenas, July, 09, 2001. Aubenas, famous reporter and permanent journalist of Liberation since 1986, arrived in Iraq on Dec. 16, 2004. She has reported many events in Rwanda, Kosovo, Algeria, Afghanistan and Iraq.  (Xinhua/AFP File photo)

    "Since the daily Liberation inform us of the news, every effort is being made by our representatives in Baghdad and by the ministry in Paris to find them," French Foreign Ministry's spokesman Herve Ladsous said.

    "We renew our advice to all our nationals, including media representatives, to avoid going to Iraq given the current security risks in this country," he added.

    Liberation announced earlier in the day that it had had no news from Florence Aubenas in over 24 hours, nor of her Iraqi assistant,Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, who collaborates with all corresponds of Liberation for almost two years.

    Florence Aubenas, 43, and Saadi left their Baghdad hotel early Wednesday but did not return and have not been seen since, Liberation said in a statement.

    Aubenas, famous reporter and permanent journalist of Liberation since 1986, arrived in Iraq on Dec. 16, 2004. She has reported many events in Rwanda, Kosovo, Algeria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

    The daily said it had alerted French, Iraqi and American authorities.

    Two French reporters, Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper and Christian Chesnot of Radio France Internationale, were released in Iraq on December 21 after being held hostage for four months.

    They were kidnapped along with their Syrian driver Mohammad al-Jundi on August 20 south of Baghdad by a group calling itself the "Islamic Army of Iraq".

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