American journalist held in Syria freed after nearly two years
26 Aug 2014 12:53 AM GMT
The nation found something of a reprieve from the killing of an American journalist with the release of another freelance reporter who had been held hostage for nearly two years by an al-Qaida-linked group in Syria.
Peter Theo Curtis, who wrote under the byline Theo Padnos, was freed Sunday, offering consolation to US officials, a journalism community and family members deeply unnerved by the grisly video of James Foley’s beheading in a desolate desert landscape.
Curtis’ release appeared to have been aided by the oil-rich nation of Qatar, which said Sunday that it had ‘exerted relentless efforts’ to win the American’s freedom. Qatar is a leading supporter of the Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad and has been involved in mediating past hostage releases.
US secretary of state John Kerry said Curtis had been held by Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-linked militant group fighting Assad’s government.
Peter Theo Curtis, who wrote under the byline Theo Padnos, was freed Sunday, offering consolation to US officials, a journalism community and family members deeply unnerved by the grisly video of James Foley’s beheading in a desolate desert landscape.
Curtis’ release appeared to have been aided by the oil-rich nation of Qatar, which said Sunday that it had ‘exerted relentless efforts’ to win the American’s freedom. Qatar is a leading supporter of the Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad and has been involved in mediating past hostage releases.
US secretary of state John Kerry said Curtis had been held by Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-linked militant group fighting Assad’s government.
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