Danish Siddiqui death: UN, US condemn Indian journalist's killing in Afghanistan

After celebrated Indian photojournalist and Pulitzer prize winner Danish Siddiqui was killed in Kandahar, the United Nations (UN) on Friday extended condolences to the family of the deceased. Taking to Twitter, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that the Afgan authorities must investigate this and all killing of reporters. The killing of the photojournalists was a painful reminder of mounting dangers faced by media in Afghanistan, it added. 

UN & US condoles Danish Siddiqui's death

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Siddiqui was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban, according to news agency Reuters where he was Chief Photographer.

Besides the United Nations,  the US said that it is "deeply saddened" by the death of Indian photojournalists Danish Siddiqui during clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban in Kandahar. Calling for an end to the violence in Afghanistan, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price took to Twitter and argued that a political settlement is the only way forward to end the current political crisis in Afghanistan. 

Ned Price said, "The ongoing crackdown on journalists and civil society is the Lukashenka regime's latest brutality. We call on the Belarusian authorities to release their 550+ political prisoners and engage in a dialogue with the opposition and civil society. We stand with the people of Belarus."

Danish Siddiqui killed in Taliban attack

Amid the ongoing Afghanistan war, celebrated Indian photojournalist and Pulitzer prize winner Danish Siddiqui was killed in Kandahar. According to reports, the Indian journalist was covering the ongoing clashes in Afghanistan over the last few days and was embedded with the Afghan security forces who are currently fighting the Taliban. As per sources, the incident occurred in Afghanistan's Spin Boldak district in Kandahar. 

Reports further added that the forces Siddiqui was travelling with were ambushed by the Taliban terrorists. However, the injured forces still continued their operation. Even so, the Taliban attacked the Afghan forces again on Friday morning in which Siddiqui was killed. Just days ago, the photojournalist had tweeted pictures and narrated the series of events that took place during the mission and his assignment as he was travelling with the forces. 

(Image: AP, Twitter-@DanishSiddiqui)