Danish Siddiqui started his career as a television news correspondent and later became a photojournalist. In the year 2018, he became the first Indian to win the Pulitzer Prize.
The story behind Danish Siddiqui’s last reporting (file photo)
Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui received the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting in 2018. Danish had reached Kandahar in Afghanistan in the past, which was the main base of the Taliban and with the withdrawal of foreign troops is once again smoldering with gunfire and violence. Danish had gone to Kandahar in connection with reporting and was trying to show the real picture of terrorism to the world but he was murdered.
Recently, Danish had shared his last report on Twitter. During this, he also shared some pictures and some video clips. Along with this, he also wrote his experience during reporting. The armored vehicle in which the Danish was traveling was also targeted during the reporting. The sound of the blast can be heard in the video clip but he carried his report to the end. In the tweet thread, you can read Reuters’ chief photojournalist Danish Siddiqui’s reporting experience and his last report at the bottom.
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Afghan Special Forces, the elite fighters are on various frontlines across the country. I tagged along with these young men for some missions. Here is what happened in Kandahar today while they were on a rescue mission after spending the whole night on a combat mission. pic.twitter.com/HMTbOOtDqN— Danish Siddiqui (@dansiddiqui) July 13, 2021
On a rescue mission with the Afghan army
In a tweet made on July 13, Danish writes, ‘Afghan Special Forces fighters are stationed on different fronts of the country. I have come with these youths for some mission. Danish told what happened during a rescue operation in Kandahar today after spending the whole night in combat mission. “The army’s aim was to rescue an injured policeman from the prison of Taliban insurgents on the outskirts of Kandahar city for the past 18 hours,” he said. This is the same district where the main war between the government and the Taliban is going on.
Danish wrote, ‘I could feel the tension in the atmosphere. The army was already anticipating a Taliban attack. Bullets were being fired on their vehicles from machine guns but as soon as our vehicle reached near the extraction point (from where the rescue operation was to be carried out), it was as if havoc broke out on us.
Danish narrowly survived the attack
He wrote, ‘As soon as the main point was reached, the Taliban started using Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and other heavy weapons against our convoy, destroying 3 Humvee. Gunners were stationed on top of these Humvee who were firing at suspected Taliban fighters but they were difficult to see.
During this, the Danish Humvee was also targeted by the terrorists. He wrote, ‘The Humvee in which I was traveling with the Special Forces was also targeted with at least 3 RPG rounds and other weapons. I was lucky to escape safely and captured a rocket attack targeting the armor plate.
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
Report prepared after 15 hours of hard work
In the next tweet, he wrote that the attack was not over yet. Afghan Special Forces successfully rescued the policeman and while returning, the convoy once again became the target of terrorists. Danish showed through his photographs that many Afghan civilians are trapped in the midst of this war, in which a child was captured in his camera on the roadside.
In the next picture, Danish is seen resting. He wrote, ’15 minutes of rest after 15 consecutive hours one mission after another.’ Below this, Danish has shared his last story which he covered for Reuters. Within three days, Danish had once again arrived in Spin Boldak to report with the Afghan army. The Taliban once again attacked his convoy and this time the Danish could not capture him on camera and he died in the grip of the attack.
Also read: Afghanistan: Pulitzer winning Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui killed in Afghanistan, Taliban was doing coverage of violence
Also read: Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui killed in Taliban-Afghan army crossfiring, here are some memorable pictures taken of him
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