2 journalists killed in Syria identified

PARIS -The French government spokeswoman has identified two Western reporters killed in Syria as French photojournalist Remy Ochlik and American Marie Colvin.

The spokeswoman, Valerie Pecresse, provided details of the killing to reporters after Syrian government forces shelled the restive central city of Homs.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PARIS (AP) — France's foreign minister has confirmed the death of a French journalist in violence in Syria after government forces shelled the restive central city of Homs.

Alain Juppe told reporters after a weekly Cabinet meeting that French authorities have expressed condolences to the journalist's family and were working to obtain the exact details about the killing. He did not identify the journalist.

Juppe said Wednesday the death points to "the degradation of the situation" and "an increasingly intolerable repression" by Syrian forces.

The U.N. estimates that 5,400 people have been killed in repression by the regime of President Bashar Assad against a popular uprising that began 11 months ago.