World news agencies stand with Anadolu after attack

ANKARA Two major regional news agency umbrella groups have joined a rising chorus of leaders and organizations worldwide condemning Saturday’s Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip office of Turkey’s Anadolu Agency. The Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) and European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) both issued statements Sunday in solidarity with Anadolu Agency, whose office was razed in the Israeli airstrikes. In a message to Anadolu Agency Director General Senol Kazanci, OANA President Aslan Aslanov expressed his sorrow over the incident. "Any attacks on media representatives and freedom of speech and information are unacceptable," Aslanov said. He added that "efforts to restrict the activities of media and journalists pose a threat to freedom of speech and run contrary to international legal norms." OANA was founded in Bangkok in 1961 at the First General Assembly of Asian news agencies on the initiative of UNESCO. Europe’s EANA said it had learned “that the Gaza office of our member agency Anadolu was damaged during the recent conflict in the region" "EANA regards the security of journalists as a precondition of freedom of speech. Therefore EANA asks for special attention to the life and health of journalists doing their job in the field," said an EANA statement. EANA, a Swiss-based nonprofit association of news agencies, was founded in 1956. Israeli warplanes hit the building in Gaza where Anadolu Agency’s office is located with at least five rockets after warning shots, the agency's correspondent in Jerusalem reported. No injuries or death were reported, but the building collapsed to the ground. Founded in 1920, Anadolu Agency currently produces news in 13 languages and serves 6,000 subscribers in 93 countries, with at least 3,000 employees stationed in 100 countries. On a daily basis, Anadolu Agency publishes an average of 1,600 stories, 2,300 photos, six infographics, and 400 videos, and airs 15 live broadcasts.