At UN meet, India condemns killing of photojournalist Danish Siddiqui in Afghanistan

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday said that India strongly condemns the killing of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui in Afghanistan. Speaking at an event of the United Nations Security Council, Shringla raised concerns about violence against civilians during armed conflict.

Siddiqui, who worked for Reuters news agency, was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and the Taliban on Friday. The 38-year-old was in the border town of Spin Boldak with Afghan security forces when he was caught in Taliban crossfire, an Afghan commander told Reuters.

“The dharma-based norms for armed conflict in ancient India were founded on the principle of humanity and humanitarian norms and had many rules protecting civilians during conflict,” Shringla said at the UN. “High importance was attached to distinguishing combatants and non-combatants during armed conflicts.”

Earlier on Friday, foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters that India’s ambassador in Kabul was in touch with Afghan authorities on the matter. “We are keeping his family informed of the developments,” he said.

Siddiqui’s father Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui said that he was informed about his son’s death by Reuters. The foreign ministry has informed him that they were trying to trace the journalist’s body, Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui said, The Indian Express reported. He urged the authorities to expedite…

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