Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese journalist dies in Syrian gunfight

45-year-old Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese woman journalist has died in a gunfight between Syrian forces and rebels in Suleimaniya district of Aleppo on Tuesday.

She is the first Japanese national to be killed in the 17-month-old conflict.

She was working for Tokyo-based Japan Press was wounded while traveling with the Free Syrian Army.

His fellow Japan Press reporter, Kazutaka Sato said, "We saw a group of people in camouflage fatigues coming toward us. They appeared to be government soldiers. They started random shooting. They were just 20-30 metres away or even closer".

According to UN, more then 18,000 people have been killed and 170,000 have fled the country since the 17-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began.

The revolt started to end his family's 42-year rule over Syria.