Syrian forces murdered journalist Marie Colvin after pledging to kill “any journalist who set foot on Syrian soil”, it emerged last night.

The editor of the Sunday Times paid tribute to “extraordinary” foreign correspondent Marie Colvin after she was killed in the besieged Syrian city of Homs today.

Two Western journalists killed in Syria were today identified as French photojournalist Remi Ochlik and American reporter Marie Colvin.

The Sri Lankan government said it is unlikely to prosecute an American journalist who interacted with a banned rebel organisation.