French PJ badly injured in Syria

Unfortunately Olivier has passed away for his serious injuries on Sunday, Feb. 24 morning. On 21 I helped his friends to retrieve info on his whereabouts in a Turkish hospital, and talked with the surgeon who was in charge. He was very critical.
Does anybody know more on the circumstance of his wounding?

Looking at images via Google I wonder whether Olivier was recently working without body armor in Syria? A picture dated by January probably taken in Aleppo shows him without. Can anyone confirm that? At least since last summer Syria isn´t a place anymore to work without wearing that heavy stuff – unfortunately.

Oliviers death is a brutal reminder how dangerous Syria has become. Today syrian cameraman Wael Hamoud Awel died…

I had the same impression, and wondered about it. From what the doctor said, it seems that he was probably not wearing a helmet, but his arm injury was very serious too. He didn’t mention any chest wound, though. Indeed, it sadly seems that photographers and cameramen are targets, in today’s Syria.

…and even the best helmet can´t prevent you from getting injured if the shrapnel is big and fast enough. There are many reasons not to wear body armor in (some) conflict zones. But all colleagues thinking about to go to syria should really be aware that combat zones are recently spread all over the country and battles raging very very rough, including artillery, air raids and ballistic missiles (!!). and it´s actually difficult to stay away from those combat areas as they are take place almost everywhere, even you want to shoot beyound the combat shit. To all PJ´s actually out there in the field: stay safe!

if you need any help in northern Syria please send me an email

I am in Hatay/Antakya right now near the governmental hospıtal if you need any help or you know addıtional informatıon related to Olivier pls send me an email as fast as possible before I return to Syria in order to help you
magedseham@windowslive.com

Put the helmets on!!! They are very efficient against shrapnel. When the Germans introduced the steel helmet in 1916 headinjuries went down by 72% and the ACH helmet is much better than the one of the Imperial German army :). Contrary to what war films make us believe 80% of all soldiers of WW1 were killed by artillery fire. Artillery fire is also the most dangerous in Aleppo though I had a good vest and helmet, I missed the the upper arms protectors – get them! In one week my katiba had one dead and 5 injured, only one was injured by bullets the rest was sharpnel.

+1 for the helmet if you have one