War photographer Paul Conroy, described as a man who “ran toward the truth when others ran from it”, has died aged 61.
Conroy covered conflicts around the world and was wounded in the Syrian army’s bombardment of Homs, which killed his Sunday Times colleague Marie Colvin in 2012.
His brother Alan told the BBC that the Liverpool-born photographer died following a heart attack on 28 February at his home in Devon.
“He did all his life what he wanted to do to make a difference – he found great pleasure in exposing wrongs,” Alan said.
BBC newsreader Clive Myrie posted on X: “I’m utterly devastated by the news that Paul Conroy has died. A wonderful photojournalist and a wonderful human being. I counted him as a friend and a decent, principled and kind man.”
Conroy joined the army after leaving school at 16.
According to The Times obituary: “Having signed on for six years, he spent most of them deliberately courting trouble in the hope that they might throw him out.”
He worked as a sound engineer in the music industry after leaving the army and his career as a photographer began in 1998 when he joined a convoy delivering aid to Kosovo.
In 2012, during the Syrian uprising, Conroy suffered leg injuries in a shelling attack by the Syrian government forces which killed Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik.
On his return to the UK, Conroy had 23 operations on his leg and others on his abdomen and back.
Conroy later described the attack as an “indiscriminate massacre” and “slaughter” and went on to publish a book on the events in 2013, titled Under the Wire: Marie Colvin’s Final Assignment.
This book was turned into a documentary in 2018.
In 2019, promoting new Hollywood film A Private War about Colvin’s life, Conroy told Press Gazette: “I still don’t think we took completely foolish risks, even though a lot of people say: ‘Marie’s dead and look what happened to you’.
“Marie didn’t want to leave those people, she wouldn’t abandon them, and I didn’t want to. We got out once and we came back in because it’s like why is she going to run when they can’t? And that’s Marie. She couldn’t run when they can’t.”
In December 2025, Conroy posted on Bluesky: “In Syria under Assad, I had a one million dollar bounty, dead or alive, on my head. I’m on an official Russian sanctions list. I’ve been banned from America since 2011 for associating with known terrorists in Libya (I didn’t). Very happy to get my US ban ahead of the crowd!!”
Conroy’s last photo essay on Cuba under siege
Conroy died shortly after returning from Cuba and filing his last photo essay for Byline Times on a Cuban city under siege. The piece was published a day after his death on 1 March.
Peter Jukes, co-founder of Byline Times, posted on Bluesky: “I’m having a hard time believing this. We were in contact just yesterday. Paul Conroy, RIP you fine brave man.”
Former British soldier and Ukrainian marine Shaun Pinner posted: “Our friend Paul Conroy was more than an outstanding photojournalist, he was a brave, decent man who ran toward the truth when others ran from it.”
Oz Katerji, Ukraine correspondent and freelance journalist, posted: “I am devastated to learn that my dear friend, my brother in arms, Paul Conroy has gone on to the next life. He was one of the bravest men I have ever known. I can barely believe it, we only spoke yesterday. His loss will be felt profoundly by us all.”
As well as war photography, Conroy also snapped pictures of British singer Joss Stone and wrote music with her.
She said she was “so grateful to have known him and honoured to call him my friend”.
“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Paul. Paul Conroy was a legend. A wonderful person through and through. Always standing up for what was right. Always there for those in need.”
The post Paul Conroy: ‘A decent man who ran toward the truth when others ran from it’ appeared first on Press Gazette.