New Delhi: Photo of Indian Journalists who won Danish Pulitzer Siddiqui “was hunted and brutally killed” by the Taliban in Afghanistan and not only died during the shootout, the US-based magazine has reported.
According to a report published in the Washington examiner, Siddiqui was arrested alive by the Taliban and was executed with cold blood along with those with him.
“Commander [Afghanistan] and the rest of his team died when they tried to save him,” said the report.
Citing local authorities, the report revealed that Siddiqui traveled with the Afghan National Army team to the Spin Boldak region to cover the battle between Afghan and Taliban forces to control the beneficial border with Pakistan.
“When they arrived at a distance a third of a mile from the customs post, the Taliban attack divided the team, with the commander and several men who were separated from Siddiqui, who remained with three other Afghan troops,” he said.
The report said that the photo journalist was hit by a bullet fraction during the attack and took refuge in a local mosque where he received first aid.
It added that Taliban fighters attacked the mosque after learning that Siddiqui was inside.
The report said the Taliban decision to “hunt”, run Siddiqui and then mutilated his body showing that they did not respect the rules of war or the convention governing the behavior of the global community.
Previously, news reports have said that Afghanistan’s special forces struggled to reclaim the main market area of ​​Spin Boldak in Kandahar Province when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer was killed in the “Crossfire Taliban”.
Siddiqui has won the Pulitzer prize in 2018 as part of the Reuters team for their coverage of the Rohingya crisis.
He has widely covered Afghan conflicts, Hong Kong protests and other major events in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Siddiqui is placed to rest in the grave of Jamia Millia Islamia where the sea of ​​mourners gather to pay their last respect.
His body arrived at Delhi airport on the night of July 18 and was then taken to his residence in Jamia Nagar where the big crowd, including his family and friends had gathered.
(With input from PTI)