Pulitzer-winning journalist killed while covering Taliban, Afghanistan troops’ clash

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Danish Siddiqui, was killed while covering a clash between Afghanistan forces and Taliban fighters on Friday.

The photo-journalist who worked with Reuters was caught in a crossfire which occurred near a border crossing with Pakistan, in Kolkata, India.

According to Reuters, earlier this week Siddiqui was embedded as a journalist with Afghanistan special forces who had been engaging Taliban fighters at the southern province of Kandahar.

Siddiqui had informed Reuters that he sustained a shrapnel injury in the arm during a clash which happened earlier on Friday. According to Afghanistan official who chose to remain anonymous, Danish was talking to shopkeepers when the Taliban attacked again.

Following withdrawal of the United States’ Troops from Afghanistan, fears of deteriorating conditions in the country has being on a rise especially with continued attacks by Taliban fighters.

In a statement by Reuter’s President, Michael Friedenberg, and Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni, it was revealed that the company was still in the process of gathering more information from officials in the region.

“Danish was an outstanding journalist, a devoted husband and father, and a much-loved colleague. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.” The statement read.

Siddiqui was a member of Reuters photography team which won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for documenting the Rohingya refugee crisis. The project exposed violence faced by Rohingya refugees who were fled Myanmar in 2017.