In Libya, the situation deteriorated since the overthrow and death of the Gaddafi regime in 2011. Militias clash and the jihadists Daesh inexorably extend their influence, while the government, backed by the UN, is trying to counter them. The death of Dutch photojournalist Jeroen Oerlemans, assassinated by a sniper of Daesh on Sunday, October 2, shows how this country sinks into chaos.
This independent photographer, who was 45 years old, was on a mission for the Belgian media Knack and had already covered fightings in Libya. Previously, it had experienced other fronts in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Israel and Palestine and followed the journey of refugees reaching Europe. With his colleague, British photojournalist John Cantlie, they were captured and taken hostage by affiliated fighters of Daesh for a week in 2012 in Syria and released by the Free Syrian Army. John Cantlie has since been still in the hands of Daesh.
In Sirte, while covering a battle between the forces of national consensus government and the Islamic State group, Jeroen Oerlemans was hit by several bullets in the chest, said Reda Eissa, a government spokesman, quoted by the New York Times. There was no exception to the safety rules, he was wearing a bulletproof vest, a helmet and was clearly identified as a journalist, said Joanie de Rijke, a journalist who was traveling with him. “We did not take more risk than others,” she said to the Associated Press.
The confrontation was violent, since 8 Libyan soldiers and 50 jihadists were killed. Since May, militias supporting the government confront the Islamic State to take over the city of Sirte, but some 200 jihadists are still present.
This is the third journalist killed this year in Libya and the second in Sirte. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 10 journalists have been killed in Libya since 2011.
Jeroen Oerlemans had worked for the media De Volkskrant and published his work in Newsweek, Time, The Guardian, International Herald Tribune, The Sunday Times and the International Mail.
He was to return to Amsterdam on Monday. He leaves behind three children and his girlfriend.
He was rewarded by the jury of World Press Photo in 2007 to a snapshot taken in southern Lebanon. Its executive director, Lars Boering, said he was “devastated” on Facebook. “Again, we lose one of the best and we also lose a full kindness person. ”
Cécilia Sanchez
