New York, August 17, 2004—An Iraqi cameraman working for the German television station Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) was killed August 15 in Fallujah, the station confirmed today.
Mahmoud Hamid Abbas, 32, also worked as a producer and editor for the public television broadcaster. ZDF said in a statement that Abbas had called the station August 15 to say he had filmed the bombardment of a house in Fallujah by U.S. forces and that he would be returning to Baghdad.
Abbas called the station back a half hour later to say an “attack” was under way, before the phone line went dead, ZDF said. The station learned of Abbas’ death the next day after his body was brought to a Fallujah mosque.
ZDF’s statement said the details of Abbas’ death are unclear. CPJ will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. At least 30 other journalists and as many as 11 media workers have been killed in Iraq by Iraqi forces, armed groups, and U.S. troops since March 2003.
