After six month of being held against their will in Syria, two Spanish journalists were able to return home Sunday.
El Mundo correspondent Javier Espinosa and freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova were kidnapped in September. They had gone on several tours through Syria before they were held for six month, reports CNN. The two were reunited with friends and family at a military airport in Madrid.
“We want to thank everyone who has worried about us and who has made it possible for us to return home,” Espinosa said.
The duo’s captors initially argued that they wanted to make sure the journalists weren’t spies, but continued to hold the journalists until they were handed over to Turkish authorities before they left the country.
According to Fox News Latino, it is not yet clear if the two were released or escaped. Syria is considered one of the most dangerous country’s in the world for reporters, killing almost 30 journalists since 2011.