Two Turkish Journalists Missing in Syria

Two Turkish journalists from an Istanbul-based newspaper have disappeared in neighboring Syria, the paper said Wednesday, asking Damascus and Ankara for help to find them.

The newspaper Milat said in a brief statement that it had not had contact with journalist Adem Ozkose and cameraman Hamit Coskun for five days.

The two called the newspaper on March 9 and said they were in the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib near the Turkish border, which has been overrun by the Syrian army, read the statement.

The government control of rebel holdout Idlib after a four-day assault comes two weeks after regime forces stormed the Baba Amr district in central Homs following a month-long attack that activists said left hundreds dead.

The newspaper said: "We expect an urgent statement from Syrian authorities" about the crew's whereabouts, while also seeking help from Turkish foreign ministry officials to locate the two.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his ministry was exerting "intensive efforts" to find the missing journalists, NTV television reported.

"The humanitarian situation is deteriorating in Syria," he warned.

Two foreign journalists were killed and two wounded in the shelling of Homs.