Photo of Turkish journalist trapped in Syria released

ANKARA

Ünal, who has been in Syrian custody for more than three months, is seen in good health in this photo. AA photo

A Turkish relief organization has released a photo of captive Turkish journalist Cüneyt Ünal, who disappeared while reporting on clashes between Syrian troops and opposition groups.

The Humanitarian Relief Foundation (İHH) displayed the photograph, which was reportedly sent as a gift for Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice. Ünal, who has been incarcerated for the past 69 days, is seen in good health in the photograph.

No sign of violence, wife says

“Of course there was some [fatigue], but he was healthy and there were no sign of violence,” Ünal’s wife, Nuran Ünal, said during an interview with Anatolia news agency, adding that she was overjoyed to see her spouse even if he had lost weight.

Ünal has been in Syrian government custody for more than three months on accusations that he is a terrorist.

Ünal went missing with Jordanian colleague Bashar Fahmi shortly after crossing into Syria from Turkey on Aug. 20. He appeared in an interview with a Syrian pro-government television channel several days later, in which he described his capture by Syrian soldiers in the city of Aleppo, but there has been no news of him since.

İHH posted a picture of Ünal on its website late on Oct. 26. It said the photograph was obtained by one of its delegations currently in Damascus trying to secure the release of detained civilians. The picture, which has a date stamp of Oct. 24, shows Ünal unshaven and thinner but in apparent good health; bruising that had been seen under his eyes in the August video is also now gone, Reuters reported.