James Foley

James Wright Foley was born in 1973 and worked as a conflict journalist. He reported from Iraq, Libya, and Syria, where he was first captured and held for 44 days in 2011 by pro-government forces before being released.

Foley was kidnapped again in northwest Syria on November 22, 2012, while reporting on the civil war. He was held by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for nearly two years. On August 19, 2014, ISIS released a video showing his execution by beheading.

Foley was killed during the Syrian civil war, a multi-sided conflict that began in 2011. The war created a vacuum that allowed militant groups, including ISIS, to seize territory and target civilians, aid workers, and journalists.

The U.S. government confirmed his death. His killing prompted global condemnation and highlighted the extreme dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones. A 2015 U.S. military raid in Syria aimed to rescue hostages, but Foley was not found at the location.

Foley's family established the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which advocates for the freedom of detained journalists and the safety of conflict reporters. His death is recorded by press freedom organizations as a stark example of the risks of wartime journalism.

James Foley was killed during Journalist Deaths - Syria (January 2020–November -0001). The conflict concluded in November -0001. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Gilles Jacquier, Anthony Shadid, Marie Colvin, R?mi Ochlik.

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