This release was updated on 13 August.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today renewed its call on all combatants in the conflict in South Ossetia and Georgia to allow media to work freely following reports that some journalists who were killed in the last few days may have been targeted.

In just two days, fighting in the region has been extremely deadly for journalists, with at least four journalists and one driver killed. The IFJ has also warned all journalists working on the spot not to take any avoidable risks in the combat zone.

"This is an irregular and unpredictable conflict," said Aidan White IFJ General Secretary. "The killings of journalists indicate that there are very few places to report safety. We call on the international community, particularly the OSCE and the Council of Europe, to impress upon local state authorities the need to avoid targeting or in any way putting at risk journalists and media staff. Media organisations should exercise extreme care when sending their people to cover this conflict."

The IFJ is investigating the deaths in Georgia of Dutch cameraman Stan Storimans, who was killed last night in Gori, and of an unnamed Georgian journalist and his driver, who were killed in the city today, according to reports. It is also looking into the deaths of two Georgian journalists working for Russian media who were killed in South Ossetia yesterday.

Storimans, a cameraman for Dutch television news stations RTL, was killed and RTL correspondent Jeroen Akkermans was injured during the Russian bombing of Gori last night. Journalist Zadok Yehezkeli, a reporter for Israel's Yediot Ahronot daily, was seriously wounded after he was hit by shrapnel in the shoulder and chest in the same incident. A Greek journalist was also injured. 

The IFJ has had reports that at least five other journalists have been injured in the fighting. Two Russian journalists have also been reported missing.

"With our colleagues in the Dutch Journalists' Association (NVJ) we are anxious to find out exactly what happened to Stan and our other colleagues to make sure that no other media people are similar victims," White said.

The IFJ believes that the targeting of journalists, which has been a feature of recent conflicts in Iraq and Somalia may also be happening in Georgia.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738, passed in 2006, classifies media workers as civilians in armed conflict and says targeting journalists is considered a war crime.

The IFJ is consulting with its affiliate in Russia, the Russian Union of Journalists, and in Georgia, the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists, to try to coordinate support actions for journalists trying to cover this conflict.

The IFJ urges media workers in the region to read the safety advisories from the International News Safety Institute at www.newssafety.com.

This item has been corrected to fix the acronym for the Dutch Journalists' Association. It is NVJ not NJV.

For more information contact the IFJ at + 32 2 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide