LASHKARGAH (SW): An American Photojournalist David Gilkey and his Afghan colleague Zabihullah Tamanna have died in a terrorist attack when their vehicle came under fire in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
Umar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, has confirmed the news. He noted that the journalists became target of the rebels while the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) was conducting Khnjar-013 Offensives against the Taliban in the area.
The two were on an assignment for the non-profit media organisation National Public Radio (NPR). According to NPR, Gilkey and Zabihullah were in transit when the Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a shell, near to the town of Marjah.
The driver of the vehicle, an Afghan soldier, also died in the attack, though two other NPR colleagues travelling in a separate vehicle were unharmed.
Zabihullah Tamanna, the translator killed alongside Gilkey, was a photographer and journalist in Afghanistan. He worked for China’s Xinhau news agency and recently wrote for Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, covering both politics and conflict news.
ENDS
