ISIS sniper guns down Dutch photographer in Libya

By Janene Pieters on October 3, 2016 - 08:02
Jeroen Oerlemans on Anderson Cooper 360
Jeroen Oerlemans (r) discusses being shot and kidnapped by ISIS fighters with CNN's Anderson Cooper in 2012. image: CNN

Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans was shot and killed by an ISIS sniper in the Libyan city of Sirte. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Belgian news agency Knack, where Oerlemans worked, confirmed his death on Sunday, AD reports.

Fellow Knack employee Joanie de Rijke reported Oerlemans' death. She was with him in Libya, working on a report.

Oerlemans was wearing a bulletproof vest. But it did not stop a bullet hitting him along the side of his heart, according to Nieuwsuur reporter Jan Eikelboom.

Thomas Bruning, General Secretary fro the Dutch association of journalists NVJ, called Oerlemans' death a blow to Dutch journalism. "Deeply, deeply sad that Oerlemans lost his life, while he was doing such important work."

Minister Bert Koenders of Foreign Affairs stated that he is shocked by the news. "Oerlemans is a journalist who continued where others stopped. Driven to bring the news in picture, especially in the troubled spots in the world. That he paid the highest price for this, is deeply sad." the Minsiter said.

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