Danish Siddiqui was killed after being left behind after Afghan forces retreat: Reuters

An investigation by Reuters has revealed that Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was killed after he was left behind with two Afghan soldiers while others in the group retreated, during an attack by the Taliban.

The Reuters photojournalist was killed on July 16 while covering the Afghan conflict.

Initial reports had suggested that Siddiqui was killed in cross-fire between the Afghan forces and the Taliban.

Also See | Danish Siddiqui didn’t co-ordinate with us, was killed in crossfire: Taliban

Reuters has said that an examination of Siddiqui’s communications with colleagues and accounts from an Afghan Special Forces commander show that he was first injured by shrapnel from a rocket.

He was evacuated to a local mosque for treatment. And he was killed, according to the top Afghan officer, after being abandoned with two soldiers in the confusion of a retreat.

Major-General Haibatullah Alizai, who was the commander of Afghanistan’s Special Operations Corps when it hosted Siddiqui in Kandahar, told Reuters that his soldiers withdrew from Spin Boldak and left behind Siddiqui and two commandos accompanying him, mistakenly thinking they had joined the retreating convoy. His account was corroborated by four soldiers who say they witnessed the attack, Reuters has reported.

Earlier reports had also said that Danish Siddiqui’s body was mutilated by the Taliban fighters after his death. The Taliban have denied this.