New Delhi: Danish Siddiqui a Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist who was working with news agency ‘Reuters’ was killed Thursday night while carrying out an assignment in Afghanistan’s Kandahar. Danish Siddiqui was riding in a vehicle carrying Afghan special forces when he came in the line of fire. The photo journalist had been reporting on their operations against the Taliban in the region.
Afghan special forces are fighting to retake the main market area of Spin Boldak when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer were killed in what was described as Taliban crossfire, according to Reuters.
“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,” Reuters president Michael Friedenberg and Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni said in a statement.
In a string of tweets three days ago, the photojournalist, who won the Pulitzer in 2018 for his work on the Rohingya refugee crisis, reported how the vehicle he was traveling in was targeted and that he ‘felt lucky to be safe’. However, this time luck ran out Thursday for Siddiqui.
Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India Farid, Mamundzay, confirmed the news on Twitter. “Deeply saddened by the sad news of the murder of a friend Danish Siddiqui in Kandahar last (Thursday) night. Indian journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner was with Afghan security forces when they were attacked by terrorists,” his tweet read.
Siddiqui has also provided exclusive pictures of the 2020 Delhi riots and the Covid-19 pandemic in various parts of Asia including India. He also had covered the Nepal earthquake in 2015, the Battle of Mosul in 2016-17, and the 2019–2020 protests in Hong Kong.
Siddiqui was based in Mumbai. He graduated with a degree in Economics from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. He had a degree in Mass Communication from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia in 2007.
Siddiqui started his career as a television news correspondent, switched to photojournalism, and joined Reuters as an intern in 2010.
This development comes as the Taliban captured Spin Boldak district in Kandahar this week. Fierce fighting has been underway in Kandahar, especially in Spin Boldak, for the last few days. Clashes between the government and the Taliban have intensified since US troops began to withdraw from the country.