French journalists freed: ‘It’s nice to see the sky’

French President Francois Hollande said the four were in “good health”, despite the very gruelling conditions of their captivity, and added that they would be taken to France within hours.

After undergoing health checks at the Turkish border town of Akcakale, the four were filmed smiling at cameras at a hospital before being driven away.

Nicolas Henin, Pierre Torres, Edouard Elias and Didier Francois were found in Sanliurfa province blindfolded with their hands bound, Dogan News Agency reported.

Mr Francois said they had just come from Syria and were hoping to get back to France soon: “We are happy to be free and thank you very much; I mean, we thank to the Turkish authorities because they really helped us.

“It is very nice to see the sky, to be able to walk, to speak freely and I am really happy.”

In a statement, President Hollande said: “I share the joy of the families of our compatriots who have endured… the fear of this trying time,”

Photo: French journalists Pierre Torres (L) and Nicolas Henin (R)

Dogan reported that the journalists had been kidnapped by the rebel group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) but that an unknown group had brought them to the Turkish border on Friday night.

The four went missing in two separate incidents in June last year. Mr Francois, a veteran war correspondent working for Europe 1 radio, and Mr Elias, a photographer, were abducted in early June on their way to Aleppo.

Mr Henin, who was working for Le Point magazine and Mr Torres, reporting for French-German television channel Arte, were taken later that month.

Press freedom advocate group Reporters Without Borders has said that Syria is “the most dangerous country in the world” for journalists.