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Four die in Afghan rescue mission | Four die in Afghan rescue mission |
(11 minutes later) | |
Nato soldiers have rescued a kidnapped UK journalist from the Taliban in a dramatic pre-dawn helicopter mission in Afghanistan that left four others dead. | Nato soldiers have rescued a kidnapped UK journalist from the Taliban in a dramatic pre-dawn helicopter mission in Afghanistan that left four others dead. |
New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell was freed unhurt. His Afghan colleague Sultan Munadi was killed along with a UK soldier and two Afghan civilians. | New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell was freed unhurt. His Afghan colleague Sultan Munadi was killed along with a UK soldier and two Afghan civilians. |
Mr Farrell, who holds British and Irish nationality, was "extracted" by "a lot of soldiers", the New York Times said. | Mr Farrell, who holds British and Irish nationality, was "extracted" by "a lot of soldiers", the New York Times said. |
The pair were seized in northern Kunduz province on Saturday. | The pair were seized in northern Kunduz province on Saturday. |
They were investigating a Nato air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers that left many dead. | They were investigating a Nato air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers that left many dead. |
There were bullets all around us, I could hear British and Afghan voices Stephen Farrell Kidnap reporter 'fearless' Who are the Taliban? Farrell 'kidnapped' in Iraq | There were bullets all around us, I could hear British and Afghan voices Stephen Farrell Kidnap reporter 'fearless' Who are the Taliban? Farrell 'kidnapped' in Iraq |
It is not the first time Farrell has been abducted on assignment - in 2004 he was briefly kidnapped in Iraq while working for the London Times newspaper. | It is not the first time Farrell has been abducted on assignment - in 2004 he was briefly kidnapped in Iraq while working for the London Times newspaper. |
In remarks quoted on the New York Times website, Farrell said the Taliban tried to flee as the helicopters descended. | In remarks quoted on the New York Times website, Farrell said the Taliban tried to flee as the helicopters descended. |
"There were bullets all around us. I could hear British and Afghan voices," he said. | "There were bullets all around us. I could hear British and Afghan voices," he said. |
The reporter told his newspaper he ran outside with Mr Munadi, reportedly a 34-year-old father-of-two who was on a break from university studies in Germany. | |
He said Mr Munadi had shouted "Journalist! Journalist!" before he fell to the ground in a hail of bullets. | |
Farrell said he did not know whether the shots had been fired by their rescuers or the militants. | Farrell said he did not know whether the shots had been fired by their rescuers or the militants. |
Afghan police inspect the car from which Stephen Farrell and Sultan Munadi were kidnapped | Afghan police inspect the car from which Stephen Farrell and Sultan Munadi were kidnapped |
The correspondent said he was beckoned by British voices from a ditch where he had hid, and as he emerged saw the body of Mr Munadi. | The correspondent said he was beckoned by British voices from a ditch where he had hid, and as he emerged saw the body of Mr Munadi. |
Journalists' anger | Journalists' anger |
The head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, Rahimullah Samandar, said the raid showed international forces did not care about Afghan reporters. | The head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, Rahimullah Samandar, said the raid showed international forces did not care about Afghan reporters. |
Mr Samandar said it was not the first time a kidnapped Afghan journalist had been killed while a Western colleague was freed. | Mr Samandar said it was not the first time a kidnapped Afghan journalist had been killed while a Western colleague was freed. |
Bill Keller, the executive editor of the New York Times, said the newspaper was "overjoyed" at Mr Farrell's release, but "deeply saddened it came at such a cost". | |
Afghan journalists have condemned the translator's killing | Afghan journalists have condemned the translator's killing |
A local governor told the BBC two civilians also died in the raid. | A local governor told the BBC two civilians also died in the raid. |
A resident of Char Dara district in Kunduz province, Mohammad Nabi, reportedly said it was his home that was raided, and that his brother's wife was killed. | A resident of Char Dara district in Kunduz province, Mohammad Nabi, reportedly said it was his home that was raided, and that his brother's wife was killed. |
The Taliban had turned up there on Tuesday night with their two captives, demanding shelter, Mr Nabi told Reuters news agency. | |
He said helicopters arrived later and "then the soldiers blew open the door of my house, killing my sister-in-law, and took the reporter away with them". | He said helicopters arrived later and "then the soldiers blew open the door of my house, killing my sister-in-law, and took the reporter away with them". |
The operation came as the leaders of France, Germany and Britain on Wednesday urged the UN to press ahead with plans to hold a major conference on Afghanistan's future later this year. | |
Farrell and Mr Munadi were kidnapped in Kunduz province on Saturday while investigating the Nato air strike a day earlier when a German commander called in a US jet to bomb two hijacked fuel tankers. | Farrell and Mr Munadi were kidnapped in Kunduz province on Saturday while investigating the Nato air strike a day earlier when a German commander called in a US jet to bomb two hijacked fuel tankers. |
Unconfirmed reports have suggested at least 70 civilians died. | Unconfirmed reports have suggested at least 70 civilians died. |
The New York Times pair were reportedly interviewing villagers at the site of the burned-out trucks when gunfire rang out and a group of armed militants arrived. | The New York Times pair were reportedly interviewing villagers at the site of the burned-out trucks when gunfire rang out and a group of armed militants arrived. |
Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in Afghanistan in a year. | Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in Afghanistan in a year. |
In June, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Rohde and an Afghan colleague were abducted in Kabul and taken to Pakistan, where they escaped. | In June, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Rohde and an Afghan colleague were abducted in Kabul and taken to Pakistan, where they escaped. |