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Syria unrest: France's Bouvier out of Homs - Sarkozy Syria unrest: UK's Conroy freed from besieged city
(40 minutes later)
French reporter Edith Bouvier, who was wounded in a Syrian army attack on Homs, has escaped into Lebanon, President Sarkozy has said. Briton Paul Conroy has been rescued from the besieged Syrian city of Homs, but France's President Sarkozy has withdrawn an earlier statement that wounded journalist Edith Bouvier is also safely in Lebanon.
The news came hours after it was confirmed that injured UK photographer Paul Conroy was also in Lebanon. Her whereabouts remain unclear, hours after she apparently left Homs.
Reports say they were smuggled out with the aid of opposition forces. Both were hurt in the attack in which journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik died. President Sarkozy announced that she was in Lebanon, but later retracted this.
The UN says more than 7,500 people have now died since the crackdown began. The UN meanwhile says more than 7,500 people have now died in the crackdown.
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said atrocities against civilians were being committed, and she had received reports that "massive campaigns of arrests" by Syrian troops against rebels had deprived many civilians of food, water and medical supplies.UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said atrocities against civilians were being committed, and she had received reports that "massive campaigns of arrests" by Syrian troops against rebels had deprived many civilians of food, water and medical supplies.
Her comments came at an emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, which renewed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire.Her comments came at an emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, which renewed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire.
Syria's representative to the UN, Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, stormed out of the session, accusing countries of "inciting sectarianism and providing arms".Syria's representative to the UN, Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, stormed out of the session, accusing countries of "inciting sectarianism and providing arms".
Renewed assaultRenewed assault
Reports on Tuesday said Homs had come under some of its heaviest bombardment yet, with the government sending in units of an elite armoured division into rebel-held districts.Reports on Tuesday said Homs had come under some of its heaviest bombardment yet, with the government sending in units of an elite armoured division into rebel-held districts.
President Sarkozy's statement on the campaign trail that Ms Bouvier had reached safety appeared to end nearly 24 hours of confusion over the journalists' fate, although there remains no direct confirmation from inside Lebanon. President Sarkozy's statement on the campaign trail that Ms Bouvier had reached safety came after nearly 24 hours of confusion over the journalist's fate. He later withdrew the statement, describing the situation as unclear and complex.
The Syrian Red Crescent said earlier that it had reached the embattled district of Baba Amr on Monday night, but had been unable to bring out the Western journalists or the bodies of their colleagues. Some reports said the journalists had declined to board the Red Crescent vehicles. "It has not been confirmed that she is in safety in Lebanon," he told journalists in Montpellier. "Communications with Homs are very difficult."
On Tuesday morning it was confirmed that Mr Conroy had reached Lebanon, apparently with opposition help, but Ms Bouvier's whereabout remained unclear for many hours. The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says confusion remains over Ms Bouvier is.
The movements of 47-year-old Mr Conroy had been shrouded in discretion because of fears for his safety, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut. Campaign group Avaaz said it had co-ordinated an operation to free the wounded journalists and two trapped colleagues, and some of the activists involved had died in the process. Avaaz executive director Ricken Patel said the rescue group had been split in two by shelling after leaving Homs, and only Mr Conroy's group had been able to move forward.
Syrian opposition sources said he was smuggled out of Baba Amr on Monday and taken through the Syrian countryside before crossing the border into Lebanon during the night. Avaaz described the three other journalists - Ms Bouvier, Javier Espinosa, and William Daniels - as "unaccounted for".
In a video posting a few days ago, Mr Conroy said he had received "three large wounds" to his leg and was being treated by Free Syria Army medical staff. Mr Conroy was apparently able to walk across the border into Lebanon during the night, but our correspondent adds that the more seriously wounded Ms Bouvier would have had to be carried on a stretcher.
Ms Bouvier was more seriously wounded, suffering multiple leg fractures. Her evacuation was confirmed by President Sarkozy in a statement, hours after Mr Conroy was known to be in Lebanon. Both journalists were hurt in the attack in which journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik died. There has also been no word on what has happened to their bodies.
The Syrian activist group, Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC), said on its Facebook page that Ms Bouvier and other foreign journalists had refused to leave Homs until the Syrian regime guaranteed their photographs and recordings would not be confiscated.
"They have also demanded from the Red Crescent to transport some injured civilians that are in a critical condition, but the Red Crescent refused," the group added.
Their comments have not been independently verified.
There has been no word either on what has happened to the bodies of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik.
Opposition campaign group Avaaz said it had been involved in the operation to free the journalists and some of its activists had died.
Rising casualtiesRising casualties
The Syrian government appears to have stepped up its offensive against rebels across the country this week - sending forces into several towns in northern Syria for the first time. As many as 125 people died across Syria on Monday, many of them in a single incident at a checkpoint in Homs, the activists' network the LCC said.
As many as 125 people died across Syria on Monday, many of them in a single incident at a checkpoint in Homs, the LCC said. Sixty-five more were killed on Tuesday, it said. Death tolls remain very hard to verify as media access across the country is tightly restricted.
Sixty more were killed on Tuesday, it said. The emergency session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was due to discuss a confidential report delivered by a UN panel of experts that lists Syrian army officers and government officials who could be investigated for crimes against humanity.
However, it is difficult to independently verify the death tolls and individual incidents as media access across the country is tightly restricted.
The emergency session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is to discuss a confidential report delivered by a UN panel of experts that lists Syrian army officers and government officials who could be investigated for crimes against humanity.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has urged the 47 nations in the council to be prepared to submit a complaint against Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has urged the 47 nations in the council to be prepared to submit a complaint against Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
"The task of the council is to express the disgust of the entire world at the odious crimes that the Syrian state is committing against its people," he said."The task of the council is to express the disgust of the entire world at the odious crimes that the Syrian state is committing against its people," he said.
But the meeting is unlikely to bring about any change from the government in Damascus which is currently fighting for its survival, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from neighbouring Lebanon.But the meeting is unlikely to bring about any change from the government in Damascus which is currently fighting for its survival, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from neighbouring Lebanon.
It is more likely to put pressure on countries such as Russia and China, which have opposed any international action against Syria, he adds.It is more likely to put pressure on countries such as Russia and China, which have opposed any international action against Syria, he adds.