Journalist with Russia’s RT seriously wounded in Syria

Russia’s RT television network said Wednesday that one of its journalists was seriously wounded while reporting on the Syrian government’s retaking of the northwestern town of Maaret al-Numan.

RT said Wafa Shabrouney, a correspondent with its Arabic channel, was reporting from an arms depot left behind by retreating rebel forces.

“According to preliminary information, a shell exploded. According to her driver, Wafa is alive” but she “suffered serious injuries”, the network, formerly known as Russia Today, said in a statement.

It said she was being treated and had been transferred to a hospital in Hama.

Syrian government forces recaptured Maaret al-Numan from jihadist and allied rebels on Wednesday, part of a major offensive to retake Idlib province.

Backed by Russian forces, President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has managed to retake control of most of the areas it lost since the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

Financed by the Russian state and accused by critics of being the voice of the Kremlin, RT broadcasts in Russian, English, Spanish, Arabic and French.