Pulitzer Prize-winning Reuters photojournalist Danish Khan has been killed in Afghanistan while reporting on the ongoing internal security issues of the country. The news of a celebrated journalist’s killing in the Afghan conflict has stunned netizens.
Danish was travelling with the Afghan Special Forces and frequently updating his followers on social media about the goings on with his breathtaking photos. Danish was killed in Spin Boldak area of Kandahar in Afghanistan.
According to Reuters, Danish was killed along with a solider from Afghan Special Forces in the crossfire.
A news flash from Afghan news outlet, TOLO News, said, “Danish Siddiqui, a Reuters photojournalist, was killed in clashes in Spin Boldak district in Kandahar, sources confirmed. The Indian journalist was covering the situation in Kandahar over the last few days.”
Not too long ago, Danish had written a comprehensive thread on Twitter with photos outlining the challenges of covering a conflict in Afghanistan. The widely celebrated photojournalist had also shared how he had a lucky escape when Taliban fighters fired three rounds of rocket propelled grenades at the Afghan Special Forces.
He wrote, “The Humvee in which I was travelling with other special forces was also targeted by at least 3 RPG rounds and other weapons. I was lucky to be safe and capture the visual of one of the rockets hitting the armour plate overhead.”
The Humvee in which I was travelling with other special forces was also targeted by at least 3 RPG rounds and other weapons. I was lucky to be safe and capture the visual of one of the rockets hitting the armour plate overhead. pic.twitter.com/wipJmmtupp
— Danish Siddiqui (@dansiddiqui) July 13, 2021
The award-winning photojournalist had earned global praise with his drone images capturing the devastation caused by the second wave of the pandemic in India. The news of his death has left netizens stunned.
Devastated to hear that the brave and brilliant Danish Siddiqui has been killed in Kandahar. He posted this thread just 2 days ago showing how bad things are getting in Afghanistan. Exceptional reporting, just as he has done in so many places. https://t.co/bYC1tph61X
— Ben Anderson (@benjohnanderson) July 16, 2021
So tragic to hear that my Indian friend, Pulitzer Prize winner journalist Danish Seddiqi got killed in Kandahar last night. He was embedded with Afghan forces. We met last week and he was telling me about his kids, family and his work from covering Rohingya to pandemic in India.
— Lotfullah Najafizada (@LNajafizada) July 16, 2021
In his visuals, Danish Siddiqui narrated the story of India’s humongous humanitarian crisis like an angry poet
Rest in peace, brother. @Reuters pic.twitter.com/Q0GwfJ34jq
— Jehangir Ali (@Gaamuk) July 16, 2021
Danish Siddiqui – who showed the world the human tragedy behind India's Covid crisis – has been killed while on an embed with Afghan forces in Spin Boldak.
I ranked him as one of the best photo journalists in South Asia, and the world is definitely worse off with him gone. https://t.co/ZKjU00cxgb
— mightyobvious (@mightyobvious) July 16, 2021
Danish had a degree in Economics from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia. He also acquired another degree in Mass Communication from Jamia’s AJK Mass Communication Research Centre in 2007.
He had worked in India’s TV industry before making a career transition as a photojournalist Reuters, where he joined as an intern in 2010.