CBS News' Lara Logan Out of Hospital After Sexual Assault in Egypt
CBS News reporter was assaulted during the celebration of Mubarak stepping down.
Feb. 15, 2011— -- CBS News correspondent Lara Logan was assaulted and sexually abused by an Egyptian crowd last week during the celebration of President Hosni Mubarak's decision to step aside.
Logan, a veteran foreign correspondent, was covering the jubilation in Tahrir Square for "60 Minutes" on Feb. 11 when "she and her team and their security were surrounded by a dangerous element amidst the celebration," CBS News said in a statement published on their website today.
"In the crush of the mob, she was separated from her crew. She was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers," read the statement.
Thousands of Egyptians swarmed Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protests that night, and the crowds were generally peaceful.
Soon after the assault Logan reconnected with her crew, "returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning," CBS said.
On Tuesday, four days after the assault she was still "in the hospital recovering." She later left the hospital.
In the days before Mubarak decided to quit, dozens of reporters were targeted by angry supporters of the Egyptian regime. An Egyptian photographer was shot and killed as he took photos of the crowd, a Swedish journalist was stabbed and many international news agencies quickly pulled their crews from Egypt.
Journalist organizations estimated that more than 100 reporters were assaulted, threatened, arrested or improperly detained.
But by the time Mubarak decided to step down, many reporters had returned to the streets and the crowd in Tahrir Square was euphoric.
The three-weeks of protests that preceded Mubarak's ouster were notable for the inclusion of women among large crowds of men, a sight uncommon at similar demonstrations in Arab countries for fear of attacks.
Lara Logan Sexually Assaulted in Egypt
Logan had been detained by Egyptian police just days earlier on Feb. 4 and forced to leave the country. After landing in the U.S. Logan promptly got on a plane and returned to Cairo on Feb. 11, the day she was assaulted.
Logan, 39 and a native of South Africa, has covered war zones for 18 years and joined CBS as chief foreign correspondent in 2006.
She has reported on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has received an Emmy Award, an Overseas Press Club Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for her reporting.
She is the mother of two young children.