Two Spanish journalists taken hostage in Syria by an Al-Qaeda-linked group returned to Madrid in a military plane Sunday after six months in captivity.
El Mundo correspondent Javier Espinosa, 49, and freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, 42, were "freed and handed over to the Turkish military", the Spanish newspaper had said on its website earlier in the day.
Espinosa called El Mundo's offices on Saturday evening and said they were in good health, it added.
"Pure happiness," wrote Espinosa's girlfriend, the journalist Monica Garcia Prieto, on Twitter early Sunday, without giving further details.
"Their relatives are feeling excitement and joy because this puts an end to a nightmare that has lasted six months," a spokesman for their families, Gervasio Sanchez, told AFP.
The pair arrived at Torrejon de Ardoz airbase near Madrid in the afternoon where they were welcomed by overjoyed friends and family.
They were to speak about their six-month ordeal at a press conference at El Mundo offices later Sunday.
Espinosa, 49, and Vilanova, 42, were seized on September 16 as they tried to cross the Syrian border to Turkey, the latest of scores of journalists captured while covering Syria's civil war.
There was no immediate word on whether any demands were made by their kidnappers or any ransom paid.
El Mundo identified the captors as members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a jihadist faction in Syria with roots in Al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate.
The group has fought against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria but has also been battling other rebel groups.
The newspaper had kept the kidnapping quiet until December while it contacted the captors via intermediaries. It said at that time that the kidnappers had made no demands.
"It has been a hard few months. We knew the wait would be long but you never get used to it," said the director of El Mundo's international pages, Ana Alonso Montes, on Sunday.
"You never know when the moment of liberation will come, although we never doubted it would," she told national radio.
"Reporting Syrian bloodshed"
Award-winning reporter Espinosa has been a Middle East correspondent for El Mundo since 2002 and is based in Beirut.
Like Vilanova, he has covered some of the most dangerous points in the Syrian conflict, including the siege of Homs in February 2012.
On February 22 he escaped that bloodbath in which human rights groups said 700 people were killed and thousands injured, and made it back to Lebanon a week later.
Among those killed in Homs were two other Western journalists: US reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik.
Espinosa wrote of his escape from the city, under fire among a crowd of wounded refugees, in a compelling reportage published in March 2013.
"We believe the Syrian people need our work, and that we must live up to our responsibility," said Prieto, who is also a prize-winning journalist, in December.
An online forum that frequently features statements from jihadists had also called on the militants to free the two.
The Honein jihadist forum said the two journalists were a "good hand for advocating our issues in Iraq and Syria, and carrying the silenced truth".
Garcia Vilanova has contributed to Agence France-Presse and other world media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Media rights group Reporters Without Borders ranks Syria as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists.
A third Spanish journalist seized separately in Syria in September, Marc Marginedas, a correspondent for the Catalan daily El Periodico, was freed early this month.
French, US and Syrian journalists are among the others still missing in Syria.
AFP
Mon Mar 31 2014
![Spanish journalists return home after six-month Syria ordeal Spanish journalists return home after six-month Syria ordeal](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-03/41396195836_295x200.jpg)
Spanish reporter Javier Espinosa, second right, holds his daughter Nur as he is greeted by his wife Monica Garcia upon his arrival in Madrid, Spain, on March 30, 2014. -AP Photo
Konsert jelajah: Taylor Swift teruskan konsert London selepas ancaman keganasan
Taylor Swift akan meneruskan persembahan di London pada Khamis, meneruskan jelajah konsert terbesar dunia di tengah-tengah kebimbangan keselamatan susulan cubaan serangan Daesh memaksa pembatalan tarikh konsert di Vienna, minggu lalu.
Taliban rai ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahan Afghanistan
Kerajaan Taliban semalam meraikan ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahannya di Afghanistan dengan perarakan tentera yang memberi penghormatan kepada bom buatan sendiri yang digunakan ketika peperangan, pesawat pejuang dan perbarisan pasukan keselamatan.
![Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723677980_MounirNasraoui.jpg)
Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan
Mounir Nasraoui, bapa kepada Lamine Yamal, ditikam pada lewat Rabu di tempat letak kereta di bandar Mataro di timur laut Sepanyol.
Warga AS dihukum penjara 15 hari di Rusia kerana bersikap samseng
Mahkamah Moscow menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 15 hari kepada warga Amerika Syarikat Joseph Tater pada Rabu kerana bersikap samseng.
Putin anggap rundingan dengan Ukraine tidak berguna
Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin menyifatkan, tindakan Ukraine yang menyerang orang awam memperlihatkan keengganan Kyiv menyelesaikan konflik peperangan dua negara dengan cara perdamaian.
Fadillah tiba di Peru, hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof tiba Lima, Peru bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Tenaga (EMM) di bawah Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) yang berlangsung selama dua hari.
BNM denda Maybank RM4.32 juta, CIMB RM760,000 berikutan gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
Bank Negara Malaysia mengenakan Penalti Monetari Pentadbiran (AMP) sebanyak RM4.32 juta ke atas Malayan Banking Bhd dan Maybank Islamic Bhd serta RM760,000 ke atas CIMB Bank Bhd dan CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd susulan gangguan beberapa perkhidmatan perbankan yang berpanjangan.
![Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723674988_pineapplesweetsme.jpg)
Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine
Auckland City Mission secara tidak sengaja telah mengagihkan gula-gula bercampur Methamphetamine yang boleh membawa maut melalui pek makanan.
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza hadapi kekurangan mesin dialisis
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza menghadapi kekurangan peralatan dialisis dan bekalan perubatan yang teruk di Khan Younis.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas hilang kepercayaan A.S jadi pengantara gencatan senjata
Hamas hilang kepercayaan terhadap keupayaan Amerika Syarikat untuk menjadi pengantara gencatan senjata di Gaza.
![Sah! Jemaah Islamiyah Indonesia bubar Sah! Jemaah Islamiyah Indonesia bubar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720095246_PengebomamBali.jpg)
Sah! Jemaah Islamiyah Indonesia bubar
Ahli tertinggi Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) yang terlibat dalam tragedi pengeboman Bali pada 2022, mengumumkan pembubaran kumpulan itu pada Khamis.
![‘Surat kepada Amerika’ tulisan Osama Bin Laden tular di TikTok ‘Surat kepada Amerika’ tulisan Osama Bin Laden tular di TikTok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-11/61699958119_TBTIKTOKGENERIC.jpg)
‘Surat kepada Amerika’ tulisan Osama Bin Laden tular di TikTok
Kalangan masyarakat global di media sosial menyifatkan peranan Amerika sebagai hero dalam konflik Asia Barat sebagai satu pembohongan.
![Al-Qaeda ancam serang kementerian Perancis, kedutaan Sweden susulan insiden bakar al-Quran Al-Qaeda ancam serang kementerian Perancis, kedutaan Sweden susulan insiden bakar al-Quran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2016-02/61454585384_AlQaeda.jpg)
Al-Qaeda ancam serang kementerian Perancis, kedutaan Sweden susulan insiden bakar al-Quran
Anggota kumpulan al-Qaeda (yang diharamkan di Rusia) dilaporkan telah mengancam untuk menyerang sebuah kementerian di Perancis dan kedutaan Sweden, menurut Sputnik.
![Serangan 9/11: AS tidak akan berhenti memerangi keganasan - Biden Serangan 9/11: AS tidak akan berhenti memerangi keganasan - Biden](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-09/51662938785_JoeBiden.jpg)
Serangan 9/11: AS tidak akan berhenti memerangi keganasan - Biden
Biden berkata walaupun AS telah meninggalkan Afghanistan, petadbirannya akan terus memburu mereka yang mendalangi serangan berkenaan.
![Pemimpin Al-Qaeda Al-Zawahiri terbunuh dalam serangan dron AS - Biden Pemimpin Al-Qaeda Al-Zawahiri terbunuh dalam serangan dron AS - Biden](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-08/61659405213_OsamaAlZawahiri.jpg)
Pemimpin Al-Qaeda Al-Zawahiri terbunuh dalam serangan dron AS - Biden
Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Joe Biden mengumumkan bahawa pemimpin al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri terbunuh dalam satu serangan dron di Kabul.
![Pemimpin al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri dilapor terbunuh dalam serangan dron CIA Pemimpin al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri dilapor terbunuh dalam serangan dron CIA](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-08/61659405213_OsamaAlZawahiri.jpg)
Pemimpin al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri dilapor terbunuh dalam serangan dron CIA
Perkembangan itu memberi tamparan besar kepada kumpulan Al-Qaeda sejak pengasasnya Osama Laden terbunuh pada 2011.
![Kesederhanaan Islam lengkapi keperluan keamanan bersama - Prof Mohammad Hashim Kesederhanaan Islam lengkapi keperluan keamanan bersama - Prof Mohammad Hashim](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-02/61645345498_TBKAMALI.jpg)
Kesederhanaan Islam lengkapi keperluan keamanan bersama - Prof Mohammad Hashim
Ancaman terhadap keamanan akan sentiasa wujud dan semakin meningkat memandangkan golongan pelampau sentiasa ada di mana-mana.
![Sisi luka perang di Afghanistan tinggalan Amerika Sisi luka perang di Afghanistan tinggalan Amerika](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/41630396961_TBUSARMY.jpg)
Sisi luka perang di Afghanistan tinggalan Amerika
Sorotan kesan misi hampir dua dekad tentera Amerika Syarikat di Afghanistan ke atas generasi kanak-kanak, yang paling terdera disebabkan perang. Nasib mereka terus tidak menentu di tangan Taliban
![Operasi risikan halang perkembangan ideologi pengganas - Penganalisis Operasi risikan halang perkembangan ideologi pengganas - Penganalisis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-08/71597761436_DRAHMADSAUFFIYANH.jpg)
Operasi risikan halang perkembangan ideologi pengganas - Penganalisis
Operasi risikan dan tangkapan dari pihak berkuasa yang proaktif telah berjaya menghalang perkembangan ideologi pengganas.
!['Jangan tunggu serangan berlaku, baru nak tangkap' - Ayob Khan kongsi isu ancaman keganasan di Malaysia 'Jangan tunggu serangan berlaku, baru nak tangkap' - Ayob Khan kongsi isu ancaman keganasan di Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-07/71627116413_AYOBKHAN.jpg)
'Jangan tunggu serangan berlaku, baru nak tangkap' - Ayob Khan kongsi isu ancaman keganasan di Malaysia
Jelas beliau, jika perkara tersebut dipandang remeh, Malaysia juga berisiko untuk diserang.