Radical 'Iraq and The Levant' kidnaps prominent Journalist in Aleppo

Radical Islamist group, The State of Iraq and The Levant (ISIL) has kidnapped prominent Journalist Milad Shehabi in Aleppo today, 72 hours after arresting 7  media activists  by the same group in Aleppo, according to Activists.

Shehabi runs Masaken Hanano News besides working in Shahba Press Agency which affiliated to Ahrar al-Sham movement in rebel-held areas of the embattled Aleppo.

Syrian Revolution Commission said two days before that 7 media activists have been kidnapped by an armed group in Aleppo.

 The activists were in ‘Shada Al Horriya’ satellite channel bureau when two cars likely affiliated to the State of Iraq and The Levant (ISIL) stormed the office in al-Kallaseh neighborhood and arrested them forcibly, the commission said.

The militants opened fire on the activists when they resisted the abduction, one of them had been wounded and left on the ground.

Syria is most dangerous country for media in 2013 where 19 journalists have been killed,   in addition at least 18 foreign and 20 Syrian journalists are believed to be missing in the country after being detained or kidnapped there, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) said.

In recent months, ISIL has gained increasing control in Aleppo and its countryside.

ISIL is considered one of the most extremist and intolerant groups currently involved in the fighting against Bashar Assad, even in comparison to the other rebel group linked to al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra.

The group’s gains have underscored growing infighting among rebel factions seeking to oust  Assad. A recent takeover of opposition warehouses by ISIL members spurred the US and UK to announce they would suspend the nonlethal aid they had been providing to Syrian rebels.

Overall the Syrian death total was down from 28 in 2012, but abductions of both foreign and local reporters increased, leading many international news organizations to stop sending journalists to cover the conflict.

Syria's armed uprising began as a series of peaceful democracy protests 33 months ago but escalated into a full-blown civil war after Assad's regime launched a brutal crackdown on dissent.

The conflict is estimated to have killed around 126,000 people and displaced millions more.