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Four die in Afghan rescue mission | Four die in Afghan rescue mission |
(39 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 Mr 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 Mr 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, Mr Farrell said the Taliban tried to flee as the helicopters descended. | In remarks quoted on the New York Times website, Mr 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 worked as an interpreter with Mr Farrell. | The reporter told his newspaper he ran outside with Mr Munadi, reportedly a 34-year-old father-of-two who worked as an interpreter with Mr Farrell. |
He said Mr Munadi had shouted "Journalist! Journalist!" before he fell to the ground in a hail of bullets. | He said Mr Munadi had shouted "Journalist! Journalist!" before he fell to the ground in a hail of bullets. |
Mr Farrell said he did not know whether the shots had been fired by their rescuers or the militants. | Mr 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 |
"I dived in a ditch," Mr Farrell told his newspaper. Moments later he heard British voices and shouted: "British hostage!" | |
The voices told him to come over and as he did, he said he saw Mr Munadi's body. | |
Journalists' anger | Journalists' anger |
The head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, Rahimullah Samandar, told the BBC that 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, 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 |
Reports differ on who else died in the raid, but a local governor told the BBC two civilians were 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. | 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. | |
He said helicopters swooped 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 swooped later and "then the soldiers blew open the door of my house, killing my sister-in-law, and took the reporter away with them". |
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the soldier killed in the British-led operation had acted with "the greatest of courage". | UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the soldier killed in the British-led operation had acted with "the greatest of courage". |
He said his thoughts were with the family of the soldier and also with Mr Munadi's loved ones. | He said his thoughts were with the family of the soldier and also with Mr Munadi's loved ones. |
Mr Munadi had briefly returned to Afghanistan while studying for a masters degree in Germany. | |
In an article published by the New York Times, he wrote of his desire to return to Afghanistan. | |
"If I leave this country, if other people like me leave this country, who will come to Afghanistan? Will it be the Taliban who come to govern this country? | |
"That is why I want to come back, even if it means cleaning the streets of Kabul. That would be a better job for me, rather than working, for example, in a restaurant in Germany," he said. | |
Mr Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in Afghanistan in a year. | Mr 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. |