Syria: British photographer ‘did not trust’ humanitarian organisation

A WOUNDED British photographer would not leave the besieged Syrian city of Homs with a humanitarian organisation for fear it was “not to be trusted”, his wife said.

Photographer Paul Conroy, working for the Sunday Times, was injured on Wednesday in the attack that killed war correspondent Marie Colvin, but he refused to leave with the Syrian Red Crescent.

His wife, Kate Conroy, said her husband had been advised the organisation was “not to be trusted”.

“They refused to leave with them unless they had somebody from the British or French embassy as an escort,” she said.

She spoke as the government yesterday said “all the necessary work is being done” to secure the return of Mr Conroy and to repatriate Ms Colvin’s body.

Mrs Conroy continued: “I can understand his rationale for it, but having had conversations with MPs, the Foreign Office and so on, I know they are not going to provide an embassy official to go with them. He needs to realise that they have an international profile, and that is sufficient protection in its own right to get them out safely.”

The Syrian Red Crescent is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to negotiate with the authorities about retrieving the wounded trapped in the city.

On Friday, teams from the ICRC were deployed to Homs to evacuate seven wounded and 20 women and children. They have since been trying to re-enter the embattled district of Baba Amr, which has been devastated by a month of attacks.

An ICRC spokesman said: “We are attempting to go in the affected area again today. Needs are very urgent and it is absolutely crucial that we are able to enter in order to evacuate people in need of help and to bring in vital assistance.”

Mrs Conroy, from Totnes, Devon, said she could “reluctantly appreciate” the position adopted by the Foreign Office.

She added: “They can’t sanction that, but, for me, my husband has put his life at risk and the others have. I would like it if somebody in that embassy was to say: ‘Forget the protocol, I’m going in and I’m going to help to get them out’.

“But I know that is not going to happen.

“I have asked and I’ve had quite a heated conversation with an MP and he’s been absolutely categoric with me that it’s not going to happen.”

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: “We are doing everything we possibly can. The Foreign Office have been seeking to negotiate with the Syrian authorities. Our ambassador in Damascus is engaged in trying to do just that.

“It is extremely difficult and the conversations are patchy.”