Cairo - A cameraman for British broadcaster Sky News and a Dubai-based newspaper reporter were killed during violence in Egypt on Wednesday, their employers said.
Sky said Mick Deane, 61, was shot and wounded while covering the violent breakup of protest camps in the capital, Cairo. It said he was treated for his injuries but died soon after. The rest of the Sky crew was unhurt.
The Gulf News, a state-backed newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, reported on its website that journalist Habiba Ahmed Abd Elaziz, 26, was shot dead near the Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo as security forces moved in on a sit-in by supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.
The newspaper said she had been on annual leave and was not on assignment at the protest for the XPRESS, a sister publication that she worked for.
Sky said Deane had worked for the broadcaster for 15 years in the United States and the Middle East. He was married with two sons.
Scores of people have been killed across Egypt Wednesday in clashes between security forces and supporters of Morsi. Several journalists were injured or detained amid the violence.
Sky news chief John Ryley said Deane was “the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “saddened to hear of the death” and said his thoughts were with Deane's family and colleagues.
The Gulf News said it spoke to the UAE journalist's younger sister Arwa Ramadan, who confirmed her death.
“My mom spoke to her close to (early morning prayers), but when she called again at 12 noon, there was no response,” the sister said. “She called again, and somebody picked up the phone and told her Habiba was dead. My dad, who is in Egypt right now, confirmed it later.”
The Gulf News quoted deputy editor Mazhar Farooqui as saying the publication was in shock.
“It's hard to believe she's gone,” Farooqui said. “She was passionate about her work and had a promising career ahead.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was investigating several attacks on journalists and urged Egyptian authorities to “show restraint and allow the media to do their job.”
“We call on Egyptian authorities to issue clear orders to security forces to respect the right of journalists to work freely and safely while covering events in Cairo and the rest of the country,” said Robert Mahoney, deputy director of the media watchdog.
Other journalists were injured among the clashes. Reuters news agency confirmed that photographer Asmaa Waguih had been shot in the leg, though the company said her injuries were not life threatening.
An Associated Press photographer working near the Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque during the melee was hit in the back of the neck by two birdshot pellets, said Manoocher Deghati, the AP's Middle East photo editor. The photographer received medical care and later returned to work, Deghati added.
Sapa-AP