James Foley: Abducted Journalists List

Abduction, violence and death has long been a constant reality for journalists in conflict regions. The recent beheading of James Foley by the Islamic State (ISIS) as a message to the U.S. is just the latest reminder of that ongoing threat. The Committee to Protect Journalists has a dedicated page for concerns in Syria, the most dangerous country for reporters, and has tried to keep track of the number of journalists missing and killed across the world.

Below are photographs and details about the missing journalists worldwide, according to the CPJ's "missing" page and other sources. Of the most recent 23 journalists listed as missing over the last 10 years, 13 disappeared in Mexico, a stark reminder of the toll of the Mexican drug war. This list starts with the most recent cases. The latest was 10 days ago. The longest unsolved case is 31 years old.

Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla; Maldivian. Reporter for Minivan News. Believed to be kidnapped near his apartment on Aug. 8, 2014. PHOTO.

Steven J. Sotloff; American. Reporter for TIME. Kidnapped in Aleppo, Syria on Aug. 3, 2013 and currently being held by ISIS, which has threatened to execute him if the U.S. continues its airstrikes against the militant Islamic group.

Sergio Lando Rosado; Mexican. Crime reporter for local daily Diario Cardel. He went missing Jan 23, 2013 while working in the city of Cardel. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

Mohamed al-Saeed; Syrian. Presenter for Syrian state television, kidnapped at his home in Damascus on July 19, 2012. He was allegedly beheaded by Al-Nusra Front, an armed Islamist group linked to al-Qaeda, on Aug. 4. PHOTO.

Bashar Fahmi; Syrian. Reporter for U.S.-based Al-Hurra. Went missing Aug. 20, 2012 in Aleppo.

Miguel Morales Estrada; Mexican. Crime photojournalist for Diario de Poza Rica and a freelancer for Tribuna Papanteca in Veracruz state. Went missing July 19, 2012, after telling co-workers he needed to leave the city “for personal reasons,” according to a statement from the Veracruz attorney general’s office.

Marco Antonio López Ortiz; Mexican. News Editor for daily newspaper Novedades Acapulco. Went missing June 7, 2011, in Acapulco after allegedly being targeted by an organized crime group. PHOTO.

Manuel Gabriel Fonseca Hernandez; Mexican. Covered police beat for the daily El Mananero. Went missing Sept. 17, 2011, in Acayucan after allegedly being targeted by an organized crime group.

Miguel Angel Dominguez Zamora, Reynosa Pedro Arguello and David Silva; Mexican. Reporters with El Manana and La Tarde. Silva reappeared months later but details surrounding his disappearance remain unclear. Photos unavailable.

Ramon Angeles Zalpa; Mexican. Correspondent for newspaper Cambio de Michoacan. Went missing April 6, 2010, in Paracho. PHOTO.

Prageeth Eknelygoda; Sri Lankan. Cartoonist and columnist for Lanka eNews. Went missing Jan. 24, 2010, in Colombo. PHOTO.

Vasyl Klymentyev; Ukrainian. Chief Editor of independent weekly Novyi Stil. Went missing Aug. 11, 2010, in Kharkiv. PHOTO.

Maria Esther Aguilar Cansimbe; Mexican. Reporter for regional news outlets, including the Zamora-based daily El Diario de Zamora. Went missing in 2009 in Zamora. PHOTO.

Oralgaisha Omarshanova; Kazakhstani. Investigative reporter for Astana-based independent weekly Zakon I Pravosudiye (Law and Justice). Went missing March 30, 2007, in Kazakhstan’s financial capital, Almaty. In weeks prior to her disappearance, her brother told reporters Omarshanova received several death threats warning her to stop her reporting. PHOTO.

Gamaliel López Candanosa and Gerado Paredes Perez; Mexican. Reporter and camera operator for TV Azteca Noreste. Went missing May 10, 2007, in Monterrey. They were covering the birth of conjoined twins at the time. PHOTO.

Rafael Ortiz Martinez; Mexican. Reporter for Monclova-based daily Zocalo. Went missing July 8, 2006 in Monclava. PHOTO.

Jose Antonio Garcia Apac; Mexican. Editor of weekly paper Ecos de la Cuenca en Tepalcatepec. Went missing Nov. 20, 2006, in Morelia. He regularly reported on organized crime in Michoacan, which family members believe contributed to his disappearance. PHOTO.

Elyuddin Telaumbanua; Indonesian. Reporter with Berita Sore. Went missing Aug. 22, 2005, on the island of Nias off the northwestern coast of Sumatra. A co-worker told reporters he may have disappeared while reporting on a murder. PHOTO.

Alfredo Jimenez Mota; Mexican. Crime reporter for the Hermosillo-based daily, El Imparcial. Went missing April 2, 2005, in Hermosillo. He was on his way to meet a contact, a colleague told local reporters.

Isam al-Shurmari; Iraqi, Cameraman for Sudost Media. Went missing Aug. 15, 2004, in Fallujah. Photo unavailable.

Guy-Andre Kieffer; French and Canadian, Freelance reporter. Went missing April 16, 2004. He received death threats in weeks prior to his disappearance, according to friends and family.

Acquitte Kisembo; Fixer in the northwestern Ituri region in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Went missing June 26, 2003 in Bunia, Ituri’s main town. He was allegedly abducted by militiamen loyal to the rebel Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC). Photo unavailable.

Reda Helal; Egyptian. Deputy Editor for Al-Ahram. Presumably kidnapped on Aug. 11, 2003, in Cairo on his way home from the Al-Ahram office. An investigation by the Egyptian Organization For Human Rights cites a police officer’s testimony saying Helal was kidnapped and killed by “the police.” PHOTO.

Fred Nerac; French. Correspondent for ITV News. Went missing on March 22, 2003, near Basra, Iraq, while attempting to leave a combat zone. People traveling with Nerac and translator Hussein Osman were killed by American fire.

Ali Astamirov; Chechen. Correspondent for Agence France-Presse. Kidnapped by armed men on July 4, 2003, in Igushetia, Chechnya, in front of witnesses. PHOTO MAYBE GETTY

Belmonde Magloire Missinhoun; Beninese. Owner of Le Pointe Congo. Went Missing Sept. 3, 1998, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo after being arrested following a car accident with a military vehicle. Photo unavailable

Emmanuel Munyemanzi; Rwandan. Head of Production Services for Rwandan National Television. Went missing May 2, 1998, in Kigali, Rwanda. Disappeared shortly after being transferred to a new station after being accused of sabotaging a taped broadcast. Photo unavailable.

Djuro Slavuj; Serbian. Reporter for Radio Pristina. Went missing Aug. 21, 1998, in Orahovac, Kosovo, along with his driver en route to report on fighting in Malisevo. Believed captured by the Kosovo Liberation Army. Photo unavailable.

Jean-Pascal Couraud; French. Editor-in-Chief of Les Nouvelles du Tahiti. Went missing on Dec. 15, 1997, in Tahiti. Reportedly killed by militia loyal to President Gaston Flosse for writing critically about his government. PHOTO.

Vitaly Shevchenko, Andrei Bazvluk and Yelena Petrova; Ukrainian. Correspondents with Lita-M. Went missing Aug. 11, 1996, in Grozny, Chechnya during heavy fighting covering First Chechen War. Photo unavailable.

Sergei Ivanov; Russian. Correspondent for Nevskoye Vremya. Went missing June 16, 1995 in Oryokhnov, Chechyna searching for two missing colleagues (Maxim Shabalin and Felix Titov) later reported dead. PHOTO.

Maxim Shabalin and Felix Titov; Russian. Assistant Political Editor and Photographer for Nevskoye Vremya, respectively. Went missing Feb. 27, 1995, in Orekhovo, Chechnya, covering the First Chechen War. Believed killed by men associated with the First President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Dzhokar Dodayev. PHOTO.

Andrew Shumack Jr.; American. Freelancer. Went missing July 24, 1995, in Grozny, Chechnya covering the First Chechen War. Abductors unknown. PHOTO.

Manasse Mugabo; Rwandan. Director of United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda Radio. Went missing Aug. 19, 1995, while on vacation to Uganda. Abductors unknown. Photo unavailable.

Mohamad Hassaine; Algerian. Reporter with Alger Republicain (Algeria). Went missing March 1, 1994, in Algiers, abducted from home by unidentified men in a white Renault 4 car. PHOTO.

Kazem Akhavan; Iranian. Photographer for the Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran). Went missing July 4, 1982, near Beirut, Lebanon, covering the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Iran alleges Israel abducted them, but there is no confirmation. PHOTO.