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Yves Debay

1954 – 2013

French-Belgian publisher, editor and journalist

War correspondentJournalist
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About Yves Debay

Lived 1954 – 2013 (aged 58). Yves Debay was a French and Belgian war correspondent and journalist.

Yves Debay (24 December 1954 – 17 January 2013), was a veteran French-Belgian war correspondent, who founded and reported for the French-language magazines Raids and later Assaut ("Assault"), which is published out of Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France. He was the first Belgian journalist to be killed in Syria.

Personal Yves Debay was born in Élisabethville, Belgian Congo (later Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo). He first enlisted in the Belgian army in 1975 and later was a tank commander before turning to mercenary activities. In 1987, he became a French citizen. Debay was one of the founders of Raids in 1986 and worked for the French-language magazine for over 20 years covering military and war issues.

Impact Yves Debay and Marie Colvin were among the most experienced war correspondents who were killed while covering the Syrian civil war.

Reactions While a hostage situation was ongoing in Algiers after France's intervention in Mali, French President François Hollande issued an official statement condemning Debay's killing.

Writings Wildcat, Carnets de guerre d'un journaliste rebelle (2004).

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
War correspondent, journalist
Nationality

People in Yves Debay's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Yves Debay's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Yves Debay?

French-Belgian publisher, editor and journalist (1954-2013)

When was Yves Debay born?

Yves Debay was born on 24 December 1954 in Lubumbashi.

When did Yves Debay die?

Yves Debay died on 17 January 2013 in Aleppo.

What was Yves Debay's occupation?

Yves Debay was a war correspondent and journalist.

What nationality was Yves Debay?

Yves Debay was French and Belgian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Yves Debay

· Wikidata: Q3272873

· DBpedia: Yves Debay

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Yves Debay. https://biography.guide/yves-debay/

MLA: "Yves Debay." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/yves-debay/.

Chicago: "Yves Debay." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/yves-debay/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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