Franco-US photographer held for 81 days by 'militia'

A Franco-American photographer freed from captivity in Syria last week was kidnapped by a "Syrian militia" and held for 81 days, his photo agency Polaris Images said.
Jonathan Alpeyrie, who arrived safely in Paris this week, was kidnapped on April 29 in the town of Yabrud, 75 kilometres north of Damascus, the New-York based agency said.
Alpeyrie had been covering air strikes and shelling of the town by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for 10 days before the militia took him to an unknown location, they added.
"He was abducted on April 29 by a Syrian militia," Polaris said in a statement. "On July 20, after 81 days in captivity, Alpeyrie was released, driven to Lebanon, and he finally arrived in Paris this week".

"His family, friends and colleagues are relieved by the happy ending to this ordeal," added Polaris.
All the photographer's equipment was taken from him by his kidnappers, the agency added.

Polaris did not specify whether Alpeyrie's kidnappers were a rebel contingent or one of Syria's feared groups of Shabiha, armed civilians loyal to Assad acting in parallel to the regular army.
French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot confirmed Alpeyrie's release yesterday but refused to give any information on where he was held, who had detained him and how he was freed.
Contacted by AFP, Alpeyrie himself refused to comment.
Born in 1979 in Paris, he moved to the United States in his teens and is now based in New York, according to his website.