The horrific deaths of James Foley and Steven Sotloff in Syria brought worldwide attention to the dangers journalists face in war zones. The beheadings reflected an alarming trend in 2014 in which international journalists were increasingly targeted and killed.
There were at least 60 journalists killed globally in connection to their work in 2014, according to an annual report from the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that advocates for press freedom around the world. The latest death was Afghan cameraman Zubair Hatami, who died Saturday from injuries he sustained in a Taliban attack.
Committee to Protect Journalists is still investigating whether the deaths of 18 journalists were related to their work. Reporters Without Borders recently cited 66 journalist killings in its 2014 survey. The difference likely results from each organization's methodology and the ongoing investigation of some cases.
Syria, mired in civil war since 2011, ranked as the most dangerous country for journalists for the third year in a row. Seventeen journalists were killed in the war-torn country this year, bringing the total to 79 in the conflict.