Bulgarian television journalist Viktoria Marinova,30, has been brutally murdered in Bulgaria's northern town of Ruse, prosecutors said on Sunday.

Her body, identified by authorities only by her initials, was found in a park, Ruse regional prosecutor Georgy Georgiev said.

Her death was caused by blows to the head and suffocation, and her mobile phone, car keys, glasses and some of her clothing were missing, he said.

The murder is drawing international condemnation.

It is not known if the killing is linked to Ms Marinova's work. An investigation is looking into her personal and professional life.

She is the third high-profile journalist to be killed in the European Union in the past year, and the fourth since the start of 2017. These killings include that of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who died in a car bombing outside her home a year ago.

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