Journalists Robin Ramaekers and Stijn De Smet were attacked by a group of men in Beirut during the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Robin Ramaekers was hospitalized with facial injuries and Stijn De Smet was treated for gunshot wounds.
The two members of a Belgian television crew working for the independent Flemish channel VTM were injured in an attack in the Lebanese capital. They are waiting to be evacuated “as soon as possible”according to the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib.
“We will repatriate them as soon as their condition allows”said Ms. Lahbib on Thursday.
Television journalist Robin Ramaekers and his cameraman Stijn De Smet were attacked, beaten and shot during the night from Wednesday to Thursday by a group of men who accused them of working for Israel.
Robin Ramaekers was hospitalized with facial injuries, while Stijn De Smet had to be treated for gunshot wounds to the leg, according to the Belgian press.
“Last night there was a bomb attack in the center of Beirut. Robin and Stijn were injured while trying to report on this event”said DPG Media, owner of VTM, in a statement published Thursday.
The two journalists and their fixer wanted to cover an explosion in central Beirut and were wearing press vests when they were accosted by a group of around 20 men who accused them of being spies, according to eyewitnesses. .
De Smet was shot twice in the leg, while Ramaekers and his fixer were taken to a basement, beaten and interrogated for hours.
“We are now in a safe place, waiting for an evacuation flight that Stijn and I can board. The war continues here unabated. It’s not very pleasant to go out, but that’s how it is. We’ll be back “,said Robin Ramaekers.