Australian journalist shot covering conflict in the Philippines

Adam Harvey after he was injured. Credit: Twitter/Adam Harvey

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in calling on all journalists covering the conflict in Marawi in the southern Philippines to take extreme caution. The IFJ and NUJP call on the security forces in Marawi to ensure the safety of journalists covering the conflict.On Thursday, June 15, Australian journalist Adam Harvey was injured as he covered the conflict on the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Harvey, who works for the ABC, was shot in the neck by as he covered the conflict between military forces and Islamist rebels who seized the city four weeks ago. Harvey was shot inside the city's provincial capitol building, where government officials have made statements on the military's progress against militants.Harvey was flown to the Philippine capital, Manila, for surgery to have the bullet removed. He is expected to make a full recovery in the coming days. He is the first journalist to be injured in the conflict zone.  NUJP secretary general, Dabet Panelo, said: “The incident starkly shows how dangerous the situation is for journalists on the ground. May we remind our colleagues to never abandon media safety procedures, especially near where the fighting.”The IFJ said: “We welcome the news that Adam Harvey will fully recover from his injuries. We urge all journalists, local and foreign, to take extreme caution in conflict zones, and take the necessary steps to ensure their safety. We join NUJP in the calls to the security forces to take precautions to guarantee the safety and security of the media.”For more information on safety in conflict zones click here and if you are in the Philippines and find yourself in danger, contact the NUJP hotline: 09175155991.

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0946 

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