Richard Engel and NBC News team freed from captors in Syria

[octoberlib]

Source: NBC News

NBC News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and members of his network production team were freed from captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint on Monday, five days after they were taken prisoner, NBC News said early Tuesday.
“After being kidnapped and held for five days inside Syria by an unknown group, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his production crew members have been freed unharmed. We are pleased to report they are safely out of the country,” the network said in a statement.
The captors were unidentified and were not believed to be loyal to the Assad regime.
Engel, 39, along with other employees the network did not identify, disappeared shortly after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Thursday. The network had not been able to contact them until learning that they had been freed on Monday.

Read more: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15985279-richard-engel-and-nbc-news-team-freed-from-captors-in-syria

[Behind the Aegis]

1. What a relief!

[ellisonz]

2. Great News!

[xxqqqzme]

3. This is very good news.

I was hoping it would turn out well.

[onehandle]

4. Fantastic! nt

[DakotaLady]

5. Yay ...

... some really happy news.

His story of events will be must-see TV for sure.

[Chemisse]

6. This is wonderful!

Like someone posted last night: he will be fine, and he will have a good story to tell.

[TahitiNut]

7. Thanks the gods! Mr. Engel is a treasure in an industry filled with costume jewelry.

The man is fluent in SEVERAL dialects of Arabic, written and spoken. He's unremittingly candid, factual, and sympathetic to human beings. He's a true journalist, in the tradition of Edward R. Murrow.

[dipsydoodle]

8. Pleased to hear that.

and doubtless a relief to their own families.

[Ash_F]

9. Thank goodness. /nt

[Cooley Hurd]

10. That's a helluva story he has to tell!

VERY pleased they're safe!!!!

[blaze]

11. Wonderful news!!!

Can't wait to see hear his story!

[AngryOldDem]

12. Great news.

So relieved he's okay.

[Ilsa]

13. I woke up worried about him.

This is a huge relief. He is such a treasure.

[rainlillie]

14. Thank God! Some good news for a change.

[lunatica]

15. I have often worried about him

It's a relief he and his crew are OK. I hope his friend Rachel Maddow interviews him!

[leveymg]

16. Glad he's safe.

They kept this so quiet, few people had no idea this was going on.

[annabanana]

17. BIG whew!. . . .

Looking forward to seeing his account on Rachel.

[Gothmog]

18. This is great news

I saw Engel on the Today Show. It was a very scary story

[ellie]

19. I am glad that he and his crew are OK.

[iandhr]

20. Great news

[mimi85]

21. Thank goodness!!!

My best friend and I, huge fans of Richard's (and not just for his looks - perhaps if we were younger) were stressed about this last night. We talked on the phone for a long time about the shootings and about Richard. I am BEYOND relieved as she will be also. My husband is also a fan. I've seen him come far too close over the years.
Damn, I - and many of us - needed some good news.

[warrior1]

22. Great news.

[Tx4obama]

23. Kick! n/t