An ethnic Karen photojournalist, who covered last month's monk-led protests in Rangoon, has gone missing, colleagues said.

Saw Thura Soe (35) a photojournalist working for Germany based European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), was covering the peoples' protests in Rangoon, before he disappeared on September 29, said a fellow Karen journalist based in Thailand.

"He [Saw Thura Soe] has been missing and is not among those who fled. He was residing in Rangoon. It is mysterious as to how he disappeared," Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw, a fellow journalist said.

Colleagues said the foreign correspondent was seen covering the peoples' protests and monks' peaceful march before the junta began cracking down on September 26.

"We don't know whether he is dead or not and it is also unconfirmed whether he is being detained in interrogation camps," added Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw.

Following the junta's brutal crack down on protesters in Rangoon, sources said several activists, monks and ordinary people have disappeared.
While the German news agency has not released any statement regarding the disappearance of its correspondent, Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw said the agency had expressed concern over the mysterious disappearance.
EPA could not be immediately contacted for comment.

"He could have been easily identified as a journalist as his equipment was relatively high quality and easily distinguishable," said Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw adding that she would continue in her capacity to reveal the truth about the correspondent.

During the height of protests in Rangoon last month, Saw Thura Soe had reportedly taken several photos of the events and had contacts with the EPA's Bangkok Bureau.