Much confusion has surrounded the fate of Javier Espinosa, a journalist from El Mundo who was trapped last week in the Islamic Emirate of Baba Amr.

Contacted on 26 February in Madrid, the executive director of the Spanish daily El Mundo assured us that the reporter was "somewhere quiet" and did not need to be evacuated. Yet, he had been reporting regularly that Baba Amr was being "pounded" by the Syrian National Army.

Via his personal telephone link, Javier Espinosa continued to send his articles and photos to the newspaper’s editorial office, while also maintaining his Twitter account.

However, soon after he fell silent.

While news agencies announced the imminent arrival of Javier Espinosa in Beirut (Lebanon), the Syrian National Army discovered at Baba Amr the corpse of a man of European characteristics, carrying the identity papers and card press of Javier Espinosa.

The individual was killed in the collapse of an underground corridor while trying to flee the Emirate. He was among a group of ten Free "Syrian" Army fighters. Though damaged, the body resembles the pictures of Javier Espinosa. It has not yet been identified.