Al-Jazeera says its reporter in southern Syria died in car accident

BEIRUT – Al-Jazeera says one of its reporters in southern Syria died in a car accident on his way to cover clashes between rebels and troops.

The Qatar-based broadcaster says Mahran Deiri died Wednesday evening as he drove with the lights of his car turned off to avoid government fire near the contested village of Sheikh Maskeen.

It said on Thursday that Deiri died immediately after his car rammed into a Syrian opposition vehicle. Al-Jazeera said he used to write for its web site.

Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an activist based in the southern province of Daraa, said Deiri was killed in a car accident as he tried to avoid army gunfire.

On Monday, activists said a government rocket attack killed three staffers working for Orient TV, an opposition-linked channel, near Sheikh Maskeen.