The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today supported the call from the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate ( IJS) on Iraqi authorities to launch a prompt investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of journalist Ryad Al Saray, presenter at Al-Iraqiya Television, who was killed in the early hours of this morning in Western Baghdad.

"This has all the hallmarks of yet another targeted killing of an Iraqi journalist," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "We are concerned that journalists are once again becoming easy prey in the renewed violence which has rocked Iraq in recent days. The authorities must spare no efforts to find the killers and protect our colleagues."

According to reports, Al - Saray was killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on his car. One of his colleague reportedly said that the attack happened as the journalist was driving to the Iraqi International Fair when gunmen travelling in another car shot him dead in the Al- Harithiya district of Western Baghdad.

The journalist had worked for Al- Iraqiya since 2005 and wrote columns for a number of local newspapers but it is unclear if his work is related to this morning attack.

The IFJ says that renewed violence in Iraq has targeted media following a terrorist attack on Al- Arabiya Television on 26 June in down town Baghdad which killed four employees and two members of the public.

For more information contact the IFJ at   +32 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide