NEW YORK (AP) - The killing of an Iraqi journalist by unidentified gunmen highlights the dangers facing reporters in a conflict that has claimed more media workers' lives than any since World War II, a watchdog group says.

Riyad Assariyeh's killing Tuesday coincides with the release of a Reporters Without Borders report entitled, "The Iraq War: A Heavy Death Toll for the Media," documenting the deaths of 230 media workers since 2003.

The report's author, Soazig Dollet, says the killing the journalist for state-run Al Iraqiya TV was not surprising in a country where 99 percent of the killings of media workers go unpunished.

Dollet says now that Americans have officially ceased combat operations the responsibility to protect journalists lies with the Iraqis.