Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist was covering the situation in Kandahar over the last few days.

Noted Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was killed on Thursday night during a clash between the Afghan special forces and Taliban attackers . Tolo News, a leading news channel of Kabul, reported that Mr. Siddiqui, working for Reuters news agency, was covering the clashes between the two sides in Kandahar over the last few days and he died in Spin Boldak district, which has a contentious international border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In a statement, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to India Farid Mamundzay conveyed his condolences to the Siddiqui family and Reuters. “Deeply disturbed by the sad news of the killing of a friend, Danish Siddiqui, in Kandahar last night. The Indian journalist and winner of Pulitzer Prize was embedded with Afghan security forces. I met him 2 weeks ago before his departure to Kabul,” he said.

Mr. Siddiqui was travelling in an armoured humvee with Afghan soldiers and he had shared videos over the past few days that showed the vehicle coming under attack on several occasions. In his last report filed on July 13 from Kandahar under highly difficult circumstances, Mr. Siddiqui had recorded the experience of Afghan commandos who conducted a raid to save a kidnapped policeman. The border crossing in Spin Boldak had hit the headlines after the Taliban reportedly occupied it temporarily. In response, Afghan forces launched attacks which soon escalated into a war of words between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Reporters of news channel France24 said that the injured Taliban fighters were being treated in Pakistani hospitals.

Compassionate coverage

Mr. Siddiqui was known for his compassionate photographic coverage of current developments in South Asia. In recent years, his photographs of the Rohingya refugees who were displaced by the Myanmar military from the Rakhine province, drew global attention to the plight of the displaced community that is currently living in camps in Bangladesh. The photographs of the Rohinyga refugees was recognised with a Pulitzer Prize.

Earlier this year, he used innovative methods like drones to capture the scale of the second wave of COVID-19 in India. His photographs that showed funeral pyres burning in open spaces drew global attention to the tragedy that India faced during March-May 2021.

Minister’s condolence

In a message of condolence, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur shared an image captured by Mr. Siddiqui during his assignment covering the Rohingya tragedy. “Danish Siddiqui leaves behind an extraordinary body of work. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography and was embedded with the Afghan Forces in Kandahar. Sharing one of his pictures below. Sincere condolences,” said Mr. Thakur.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> International / by Special Correspondent / New Delhi – July 16th, 2021