The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, denounced on Thursday the killing of Kurdish journalist Bakhtyar Haddad and French reporter Stephan Villeneuve in the city of Mosul, Iraq.

"I condemn the killing of Bakthyar Haddad and Stephan Villeneuve" said the Director-General. "Journalists face tremendous dangers in carrying out their job, a job where they provide us with vital information enabling us to build towards peace. I remind everyone that journalists are protected as civilians under the Geneva Conventions."

They were covering the frontlines when a roadside bomb exploded, killing Haddad instantly and seriously injuring Villeneuve and other team members on 19th June. Villeneuve was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds shortly.