Four New York Times correspondents in Libya have failed to check in with the paper since Tuesday morning and are considered missing. CNN notes that NYT editors received secondhand info that reporters were “swept up by Libyan government forces.”

Poynter notes that two of the journalists have been kidnapped previously. Reporters Without Borders notes that journalits are facing an increasing risk of abduction, with 51 journalist kidnappings in 2010 compared to 33 in 2009 and 29 in 2008. Most recently, dozens of journalists were attacked in Egypt. Update: Libya’s government has released the four NYT journalists after holding them for six days. Other journalists remain missing or detained.