The New York Times reported Wednesday that four of its journalists covering the fighting in Libya were missing.

The newspaper said it had received secondhand information that reporters Anthony Shadid and Stephen Farrell and photographers Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario had been picked up by government forces near Ajdabiya.

“We have talked with officials of the Libyan government in Tripoli, and they tell us they are attempting to ascertain the whereabouts of our journalists,” said Bill Keller, the paper’s editor.

He said the Libyan government had assured the paper that the journalists would be released promptly and unharmed if they had been captured.