The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says, in 2007, violence against journalists reached extreme levels for the third year in succession with 171 confirmed deaths, just below the record set a year earlier.

Conflicts in Iraq, Pakistan and Somalia have proved the most dangerous for journalists in a year that has confirmed the high rates of killings in recent years and "tragedy unlimited" for thousands within the global media community.

In 2006 the IFJ confirmed 177 journalists and other media workers killed. At the year's end 2007 proved only slightly less deadly. The figures have been compiled in cooperation with the International News Safety Institute.

"Violence against journalists remains at extremely high levels for the third year in a row," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "The scale of attacks on journalists marks a continuing crisis filled with unlimited human tragedy and relentless attacks on press freedom."

Boumelha called for more action from the international community to counter impunity and to eliminate fear and danger from the profession of journalism. "Our colleagues have been targeted because of their work, or killed covering dangerous stories often in the rush to cover breaking news," he said.

There have been more accidental deaths this year and the IFJ says the threats of targeting particularly in combat zones like Iraq continue unabated. As well as the heavy toll in Iraq, there were multiple media killings in Somalia and Afghanis-tan. Unrest in Sri Lanka and Pakistan also led to journalists' deaths.

Despite the increased attacks, the IFJ says, journalists are still covering news no matter how dangerous it is.

"We salute all of our colleagues out there who face danger as they try to provide news for their communities," said Boumelha. "We will continue our fight to make sure that safety conditions improve."