Unknown gunmen fired upon al-Qasim, a correspondent for the Syrian Rozana Radio, while he was driving in a car with a rebel military leader, who was also his relative, in Idlib province, according to news reports. The attack killed them both.
Al-Qasim was interviewing the leader about a blast that occurred the day before that killed numerous leaders of another rebel group, Ahrar al-Sham, according to Lina Chawaf, program manager for Rozana Radio. Ahrar al-Sham is one of the more influential rebel groups in Syria. It is unclear whether al-Qasim was conducting his interview in the car or if the two were on their way to another location, Chawaf told CPJ. The intended target of the attack was also not clear.
Prior to working for Rozana Radio, al-Qasim reported for multiple news outlets such the Dubai-based Al-Aan TV and had also contributed to Al-Jazeera. Before he started working as a journalist, al-Qasim was studying English Literature at Damascus University. He left the university, fearing arrest by Syrian security forces in connection with his participation in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, Chawaf said.