NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his production team traveled into Syria early this morning to investigate the reported use of chemical weapons there. Engel interviewed rebel leaders and their supporters about the ongoing civil war that has already claimed 70,000 lives.
In December, Engel and his producer Ghazi Balkiz, camera operator John Kooistra, and freelance journalist Aziz Akyavas were driving in a rebel-controlled area when a group of gunmen stormed their vehicle, dragged them from their car, executed one of the rebels they were traveling with, and held them hostage. Over five days, they were moved them from safehouse to safehouse while being subject to psychological warfare, including mock executions.
Engel’s reports from today will begin airing on NBC tomorrow.