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NBC crew freed from kidnappers after firefight in Syria

2,520 views · Published 21 January 2013 · 0:50 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: News Direct · 2013 · News & Politics

NBC foreign correspondent Richard Engel and his production crew were kidnapped and held captive by a pro-Assad militia known as the Shabiha for five days. The crew, driving with a Syrian rebel group last Thursday, was kidnapped when a dozen gunmen with ski masks jumped out of the bushes. Five of them escaped during a firefight.

They were taken to several houses. The captors kept them blindfolded and bound, but did not physically beat or torture them. The New York Times reported that there were mock shootings after the crew refused to choose which one of them would be shot first. The production team escaped during a firefight when they came across a rebel checkpoint late Monday. They spent the night with the rebels and were escorted to Turkey the next morning.

Ian Rivers, who was separated from the rest of the crew during the firefight, recorded a video message telling his colleagues that he was safe and with a Syrian rebel brigade. Rivers was escorted across the border into Turkey on Wednesday.

NBC crew freed from kidnappers after firefight in Syria

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