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Subscribe to RSSAfter being held captive for five days in Syria, NBC's Richard Engel and his team recount being ambushed, blindfolded and traumatized before being freed at a checkpoint.
Updated at 8:15 a.m. ET: NBC News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and members of his network production team were freed from captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint on Monday, five days after they were taken prisoner, NBC News said early Tuesday.
“After being kidnapped and held for five days inside Syria by an unknown group, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his production crew members have been freed unharmed. We are pleased to report they are safely out of the country,” the network said in a statement.
“It is good to be here,” Engel said during a live appearance on TODAY from Turkey. “I’m very happy that we’re able to do this live shot this morning.”
Engel said that they were traveling with Syrian rebels when a group of about 15 gunmen “jumped out of the trees and bushes” and captured them.
'Psychological torture'
He said the gunmen executed one of the rebels “on the spot,” and later during their captivity they were subjected to mock executions while blindfolded and bound.
"We weren't physically beaten or tortured. It was a lot of psychological torture, threats of being killed," Engel said.
"They made us choose which one of us would be shot first and when we refused there were mock shootings. They pretended to shoot Ghazi [Balkiz, an NBC producer] several times,” Engel said.
Balkiz said that they had “worked with each other very well… we kept each other’s spirits up” during their ordeal. Cameraman John Kooistra said he had “made good with my maker” and had been “prepared to die many times.”
Engel said their captors “were talking openly about their loyalty to the government” of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
He said he had a “very good idea” about who they were -- members of the “shabiha” militia, loyal to Assad, trained by the Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied with Lebanon-based group Hezbollah.
Engel said their captors’ plan was to use them to win the freedom of people held by the rebels.
“They captured us in order to carry out this exchange,” he said.
NBC News file
Richard Engel at the end of a reporting trip in Syria in July of this year.
Engel, 39, and his team disappeared shortly after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Thursday. The network had not been able to contact them until learning that they had been freed on Monday.
The network said there was no claim of responsibility, no contact with the captors and no request for ransom during the time the crew was missing.
After entering Syria, Engel and his team were abducted, tossed into the back of a truck before being transported to an unknown location believed to be near the small town of Ma’arrat Misrin. During their captivity, they were blindfolded and bound, but otherwise not physically harmed, the network said.
Early Monday evening local time, the prisoners were being moved to a new location in a vehicle when their captors ran into a checkpoint manned by members of the Ahrar al-Sham brigade, a Syrian rebel group. There was a confrontation and a firefight ensued. Two of the captors were killed, while an unknown number of others escaped, the network said.
The NBC News crew was unharmed in the incident. They remained in Syria until Tuesday morning when they made their way to the border and re-entered Turkey, the network said. They were to be evaluated and debriefed, but had communicated that everyone was in good health.
NBC News said it “expressed its gratitude to those who worked to gather information and secure the release of our colleagues.”
Engel is widely regarded as one of America’s leading foreign correspondents for his coverage of wars, revolutions and political transitions around the world over the last 15 years. Most recently, he was recognized for his outstanding reporting on the 2011 revolution in Egypt, the conflict in Libya and unrest throughout the Arab world.
One of the only Western journalists to cover the entire war in Iraq , Engel was named chief foreign correspondent of NBC News in April 2008. He joined the network in May 2003.
The Syrian civil war began in March 2011, when demonstrators took to the streets to show support for the so-called Arab Spring uprisings sweeping across the Middle East and north Africa and to demand the resignation of Assad of the ruling Ba’ath Party. The following month, Assad deployed the Syrian army to quell the uprising, ordering troops to open fire on demonstrators. But despite the harsh crackdown, Assad’s troops and militias loyal to the government were unable to quell what soon became an armed uprising.
In the intervening months, the security situation in the country has continued to deteriorate amid increasingly fierce fighting between Syrian troops and a loose confederation of outgunned but increasingly emboldened rebel forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated in November that more than 40,000 people had died in the fighting.
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Leave a Comment:
I worry about that man every time I see him on the news, he gets right in the most dangerous situations and is an amazing reporter. I'm happy to hear that he was released unharmed. We are very lucky to have him. (Still.)
Sorry, not impressed when people go into situations such as this.
I don't care THAT much what is going on in Syria, and I don't appreciate the implication that just because someone does something like this I should somehow care for them during a time like this or respect their bravado or tenacity. A great deal of this behavior is motivated by ego.
REALLY...Steve? Who implied YOU should "somehow" care about Mr. Engel or this story?
Was it the same folks that forced you to 1) read the story? 2) Click on the comments? 3) Type your thoughts, then post? 4) Did you receive a RSVP to this story (sarc)?
Or did you do all that (1,2 & 3) by your own free will? Where's the implication, Steve? You either like something or someone, or you don't - free of choice.
Oh yeah, I like Mr. Engel's reporting. It is VERY risky, but no different than other people who take risks where the end could be the same. Do you like Mtn. Climbers, drag racing, stunt pilots or any daredevils?
WOW!! Eat your heart out, Geraldo!
I'm Thinking Another Chuck Norris Sequel To The Missing In Action Trilogy,
Someone Should Ask Richard Engle, Is It Really Worth The Glory Of Getting Killed?
Is It Really Worth The Risk To Earn A Pultizer Prize, When You're Not There To Accept It?
Richard Engle has more guts and does an outstanding job while under fire than his pompous NBC Associates, who laugh and joke, sip on wine while giving us the repetitive morning news from a prepared script without getting a scratch.
Ernie Pyle, Arthur Kent maybe your idols, but don't become a Casualty Of War, Collateral Damage,a member of The Expendables or Ransom Bait for Terrorist Groups. Remember NBC and U.S Gov't will not concede.
Richard Engle, take time and google the following, Think Safety, Don't Join The Ranks Of Heros like Pat Tillman. who, we all miss.
1. Jack Lemmon- "Missing"- Chilean Civil War.
2. Sam Waterston- "The Killing Fields"- Cambodian Civil War.
3. Mel Gibson- "The Year Of Living Dangerously"- Indonesian Civil War.
4. James Woods- "Salvador"- Salvadoran Civil War.
That's My Story And I'm Sticking To It!
Sgt Elias//Platoon//OliverStoneFilm.com
This is great news! Happy he's safe.
I wondered what happen to him when another correspondent would speak about issues previously shared by Engel. Since the media did not mention anything about his whereabouts I assumed he was on vacation. That must have been a scare and long week for Engel and his crew. I am glad to hear they were returned safely and unharmed.
Glad he and his crew is doing well and it is a reminder that journalists often put their safety aside so that we can have information that can help us make fact based decisions about the issues of the day. Journalism and a free press is a necessary component of our democracy.
this all sounds rather fishy to me........i shall wait until the details of the account are brought to light or fabricated......in either case this whole thing sounds rather odd......now the media in concert with a false flag op......?......not too farfetched.......whatever engel says must be taken with a grain ( a ton ) of salt.
I was wondering when one of the FAUX Noise groupies was going to show up...
Everything you write sounds fishy, bub...
rico,
time too change the tin foil in your hat
I've always loved Richard Engel and he's always been in hot spots reporting. It's a shame that something like this happened to him and his newsteam. I'll be glad when he comes back and takes over national news because he's served his time. He's also very handsome too.
Who cares about Richard Engel... big woop, he was released... Soldiers put their lives on the line everyday and no one ever leads with that story...
Hey, NBC, what happened to your "journalistic ideals" and the "public's right to know"? If this had been anyone else, you would have made their kidnapping headline news regardless of the effect that coverage might have on their safety, but when it happens to one of your teams, suddenly safety is the top concern and the public's "right to know" goes out the window. Does anyone there know the meaning of the word, "hypocrisy"?
Thank God. Please come back home for a while Richard. You have been traveling a lot lately..
Another self serving media story, so they are assured we will all know how "tough" their jobs are... I'm sure he'll be honored at some self serving media awards event where they all pat each other on the back and reassure each other how they deserve their massive salaries while the rest of the country is suffering...
These people were held captive and they were mock shot - just so that you can read the news.
Think about that for a second, before you complain about how the rest of the country is "suffering."
this sounds fishy to me.........will wait to hear the details.......sounds like a false flag to me.......media and the govt. have evolved to two sides of the same rotten coin.......who stands to gain from this "story"...........
Yawn..
amazon has shipped your straight jacket.
Such a scary situation. Thank God all were released and in safe bed tonights. These reporters are so brave, and I appreciate the job they do.
lucky he came across that rebel checkpoint. The rebels probably thought it would be a good thing to let an american news crew go since they are looking for all the friends and recognition they can get amongst the international community. Dept of state probably working behind the scenes for debrief and extraction. Take care mr engel, you crazy man.
What a sacrifice this human begin makes to get news in ways only the rest of media can dream of. I certainly don't see Fox sending correspondents to these areas, which makes it all the more likely that I trust NBC if they are willing to send actual humans for actual reporting. Glad to see he and his crew are safe AND reporting on the Syrian crisis.
Everyone- Richard Engel is in Turkey- looks great after the ordeal- go to http://www.aa.com.tr/en/headlines/112639-turkish-jpournalist-kidnapped-in-syria-returns-to-turkey/ You also see that there were more Americans kidnapped along with Richard Engel. They came back to Turkey via Cilvegozu border gate in southern province Hatay.
What a fraud this piece is, as usual. There is a reason the establishment media is going bankrupt. We're sick of your lies!
more like the 3 stooges. how moronic to go to these countries and believe that you won't get harmed because of being a news reporter.
He's no amateur. He knows the odds get stiffer with each roll of the dice. But he's a stand up guy & I trust his on-the-site reporting more than I do the 9/11 commision report. WTF, the protected will never understand.
Was I under a rock or so consumed with Newtown that I did NOT realize Engel was captured!!!! Still, many times I was just waiting for a horrific report. I cannot believe where this man goes...it is chilling. THANK you to whoever gave the word to release...THANk YOU VERY VERY VERY much. Mr. Engel ... take a trip home and STAY there. You are playing Russian roulette. Doesn't your family go crazy? If I were your mother well I couldn't be as I'd end up six feet under way before my time. GO HOME and have some chicken soup and write a book!
Now this guy is a news reporter, not one of these wanna bees from one of these communications schools that sits behind a desk and repeat things like parakeets...this guy gets the stories that they read...
Old School...
Great to hear he is safe. We were praying for him after hearing the news last night that he was missing. Thank God for that miracle.
Wondered when that "yahoo" was going to get his ass in trouble visiting all of these violent countries that most Americans couldn't care less about.
Now if we could get Rush Limbaugh to go, THAT would be constructive.....Their country would go bankrupt feeding him and his drug habit.
Problem solved.
No prizes for accurately predicting the Humbaugh® will have some suitably outrageous and asinine to say about this story...
idiot
So glad to know they made it out alive. Engel is the best correspondent in the Middle East and it would be a shame to lose him this way. He is always putting himself in harm's way to get the story out. I am constantly worried about him as if he were my own son. Keep up the good work, but from a safer distance.