Danish Siddiqui an Indian photojournalist was killed while covering the ongoing tussle between Afghanistan and the Taliban in Kandahar as the Taliban took over the key border crossing with Pakistan.
Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters in Spin Boldak crossing on Friday in an attempt to retake the key border crossing with Pakistan.
Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was working with international news agency Reuters and taking stock of the situation as a reporter when he got hit during the clashes in the Spin Boldak area of Kandahar near the Pak border.
Afghanistan is a turbulent state where the Taliban is trying to oust the incumbent Afghan govt. Meanwhile, Afghan President Ghani has already blamed Pakistan for its support to its proxy Taliban in the war-ravaged Afghanistan. There are reports that all the top leaders of the Taliban are based in Pakistan and their families are enjoying state privileges under the security of the Pakistan Army and ISI. In a recent report by AFP, dozens of wounded Taliban fighters were seen getting treatment in Pakistan hospital near the border after fierce overnight fighting.
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Meanwhile, in a scathing attack, the Afghan govt has said that Pakistan Air Force is providing air support to the Taliban. However, Pakistan has strongly denied the Afghan govt claim stating it as baseless.
Taliban has perceived the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan after two decades as their victory. Taliban has also got legitimacy after the retreat of the US in Doha talks, where NATO alliance partners are talking with both the Taliban and Afghanistan govt for a truce and look for an alternative. But, the Taliban backed by Pakistan Army is flexing its muscles to overtake the whole Afghanistan area including Kabul denying all the negotiations of Doha.
