A South African photographer, Anton Hammerl, who went missing in Libya, was killed six weeks ago by the pro-Qaddafi, announced Friday, her family said in a statement. "Anton was killed by Qaddafi's forces in a very down in the Libyan desert. According to eyewitnesses, his injuries were such that he could not survive without medical care," his family said in this statement posted on Facebook.
"We have no words strong enough to express the incredible trauma experienced by the family Hammerl," continues the text. Anton Hammerl had disappeared on April 4 while covering the conflict in Libya. The Libyan government has said for weeks he was alive and the Austrian Foreign Ministry - the parents are of Austrian photographer - had assured him as April 25 Anton Hammerl was doing well after "a number of exchanges "with the Libyan authorities.
It was expected that this 41 year old man is among four foreign journalists released Wednesday in Tripoli. The spokesman of the government of Muammar Gaddafi, Moussa Ibrahim, had said yesterday that it would be part of the group. But instead of a South African, is a Briton who has been released.
"There was some confusion" about the identity of journalists, said Wednesday at the press Ibrahim Moussa, adding that South Africa had "not been located." Upon their release, other journalists said Hammerl was killed when the group was attacked by forces of the Libyan regime and taken prisoner on April 5.
"Everything happened in a split second. We thought we were caught in the crossfire. But finally we realized they were shooting at us. You could see and hear the bullets hitting the ground near us "he said. Anton Hammerl, which was closest to the heart of the action, screamed for help, and then fell silent, he added.
The three other journalists were detained and subsequently in several places in Tripoli. James Foley said they were afraid to put themselves in danger if they tried to make public the death of Anton Hammerl when they were in captivity. But once released, they contacted his wife, Penny Sukhraj, immediately after they crossed the Tunisian border.
The South African government said Friday that he was unaware that the photographer had been killed, and that he continued to work for his release. Libyan leader Muammar "Gaddafi himself, his son and advisers have assured us that Anton Hammerl was alive and well," said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
"We will maintain contact with the Libyan authorities to recover the body of Anton and return it so that it has a decent burial," she added. 
"We have no words strong enough to express the incredible trauma experienced by the family Hammerl," continues the text. Anton Hammerl had disappeared on April 4 while covering the conflict in Libya. The Libyan government has said for weeks he was alive and the Austrian Foreign Ministry - the parents are of Austrian photographer - had assured him as April 25 Anton Hammerl was doing well after "a number of exchanges "with the Libyan authorities.
It was expected that this 41 year old man is among four foreign journalists released Wednesday in Tripoli. The spokesman of the government of Muammar Gaddafi, Moussa Ibrahim, had said yesterday that it would be part of the group. But instead of a South African, is a Briton who has been released.
"There was some confusion" about the identity of journalists, said Wednesday at the press Ibrahim Moussa, adding that South Africa had "not been located." Upon their release, other journalists said Hammerl was killed when the group was attacked by forces of the Libyan regime and taken prisoner on April 5.
"Everything happened in a split second. We thought we were caught in the crossfire. But finally we realized they were shooting at us. You could see and hear the bullets hitting the ground near us "he said. Anton Hammerl, which was closest to the heart of the action, screamed for help, and then fell silent, he added.
The three other journalists were detained and subsequently in several places in Tripoli. James Foley said they were afraid to put themselves in danger if they tried to make public the death of Anton Hammerl when they were in captivity. But once released, they contacted his wife, Penny Sukhraj, immediately after they crossed the Tunisian border.
The South African government said Friday that he was unaware that the photographer had been killed, and that he continued to work for his release. Libyan leader Muammar "Gaddafi himself, his son and advisers have assured us that Anton Hammerl was alive and well," said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
"We will maintain contact with the Libyan authorities to recover the body of Anton and return it so that it has a decent burial," she added.
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- You: Pro-Gaddafi troops 'shot photographer missing in Libya' (20/05/2011)
- Libya: London-based photographer killed by Gaddafi troops (20/05/2011)
- South African Photographer Feared Dead in Libya (20/05/2011)
- You: Family believes South African journalist held by Libyan forces is dead (20/05/2011)
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