Two Syrian journalists known for their anti-ISIL reporting were found beheaded in their apartment in Şanlıurfa, a Turkish border province near Syria, local sources said on Friday.
The victims were identified as Firas Hammadi, the managing editor of Ayn Watan, a weekly newspaper published by pro-Free Syrian Army activists group "Raqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently" (RSS), and Ibrahim Abdulkader, a reporter for the newspaper.
They were found beheaded at Hamadi's house Friday morning, said Abu Mohammad, a founder of RSS.
The group also confirmed the report on Twitter:
Reports indicated unknown assailants slit the throats of both men using a hunting knife.
Police launched an investigation into the killings while seven suspects have been detained for questioning.
Raqa is Being Slaughtered Silently is a blog formed in April 2014, based on citizen journalism exposing the atrocities of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Raqa, Syria.
The militant group seized control of Raqa from opposition fighters, including Free Syrian Army, in early 2014 and use it as their de facto capital.
RSS was awarded the International Press Freedom Award 2015 from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), for its first-hand accounts, videos and photographs of the Syrian city under ISIL.
