Four journalists covering the fighting in Libya for the New York Times are missing, the newspaper said today.
The New York Times said the journalists, who included two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Shadid, were last in contact with their editors yesterday morning from the town of Ajdabiya.
Also missing are Stephen Farrell - a reporter and videographer with joint British-Irish citizenship who was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2009 and rescued by British commandos - and two photographers, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario, the newspaper said.
"We have talked with officials of the Libyan government in Tripoli, and they tell us they are attempting to ascertain the whereabouts of our journalists," Bill Keller, the executive editor of the New York Times, said in a statement.
He said the Libyan government had assured the Times that if the journalists have been captured, they would be released promptly and unharmed.
A Brazilian reporter was freed by government forces in Libya last week, but a journalist from Britain's Guardian newspaper remains missing.
A BBC news team also said last week it had been detained by Libyan security forces, beaten and subjected to mock execution after they were arrested at a checkpoint.
Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy, in power since a military coup in 1969, lost control of large swathes of Libya in a revolt last month, but since then his security forces have fought back. The Libyan uprising follows popular uprisings that ousted the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt.
In September 2009, a British paratrooper and Mr Farrell's interpreter were killed in Afghanistan during a raid to free the kidnapped journalist.
It is believed the mission provoked anger among senior British army officers because Mr Farrell reportedly ignored warnings from Afghan police and village elders not to venture into the Taliban-controlled area where he was taken hostage.
Mr Farrell was seized with his interpreter, Sultan Munadi, as he reported on the aftermath of a Nato air strike in which at least 70 people were killed.
Reuters