Taliban denies role in Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui’s death

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban, according to news agency Reuters where he was Chief Photographer.

After his death the Taliban’s spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told CNN-News18 on Friday,“We are not aware during whose firing the journalist was killed. We do not know how he died."

“Any journalist entering the war zone should inform us. We will take proper care of that particular individual," Mujahid was quoted as saying by CNN-News18. “We are sorry for Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui’s death. We regret that journalists are entering war zone without intimation to us," he added.

Siddiqui was the Chief Photographer for Reuters in India. He was reported killed during the ongoing violence in Kandahar's Spin Boldak district, TOLOnews reported. This comes as the Taliban captured Spin Boldak district in Kandahar this week. Fierce fighting has been underway in Kandahar, especially in Spin Boldak.

According to PTI, the Taliban has handed the body of Danish Siddiqui to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). India has been informed about the handing over of the body by the Taliban to ICRC and Indian authorities are working on bringing it back, it reported.