Headlines

AFGHANISTAN: Taliban Executes Freed Italian Scribe’s Colleague

Daud Khan and Samad Rohani*

KABUL, Apr 9 2007 (IPS) - A young Afghan journalist, who was abducted along with the freed Italian journalist Danielle Mastrogiacomo in southern Afghanistan by Taliban militants, was killed 48 hours ahead of the expiry of a deadline for negotiations issued to the government.

A young Afghan journalist, who was abducted along with the freed Italian journalist Danielle Mastrogiacomo in southern Afghanistan by Taliban militants, was killed 48 hours ahead of the expiry of a deadline for negotiations issued to the government.

Ajmal Naqshbandi was executed at 3 pm on Sunday, Shahbuddin Atal, spokesman for the senior Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah, told the independent Pajhwok Afghan News by phone from an undisclosed location.

He said the slain journalist’s body was lying in the Loya Wala area of Hazarjusft district, Helmand province. This is where Mastrogiacomo, war reporter for the Rome-based La Repubblica newspaper, was handed over to Italian officials on Mar. 19, some 15 days after he was abducted along with his interpreter Naqshbandi and their driver who was killed earlier by the Taliban.

Late on Sunday evening at a press conference in Kabul, the intelligence directorate, while confirming the killing, accused the Taliban of not coming forward to negotiate. Spokesman Saeed Ansari blamed the manager of the Italian-funded ‘Emergency Hospital’ in Lashkar Gah who is in their custody for being involved in the kidnapping of the three people.

Rahmatullah Hanefi, a doctor, was arrested by the intelligence services in the early hours of Mar. 20, shortly after the release of the Italian journalist. No one including his relatives has had access to him since.


Ansari said Hanefi had handed over the abductees to Haji Lalai, an aide of Mullah Dadullah in the Sangin district of the southern Helmand province. He said investigations were underway and further details would be released later. Local media had earlier reported that the Italian Embassy had been negotiating the journalist’s release through Emergency.

Mastrogiacomo and his Afghan associates who were on assignment to interview senior Taliban leaders in southern Afghanistan were taken into custody on charges of “spying” for the British. NATO forces are engaged in stiff combat with the outlawed insurgent force who have regrouped to challenge the government.

While the Italian journalist was set free in exchange for five Taliban prisoners, in a deal that has not yet been made public, the Afghan government was divided over whether or not to negotiate for Naqshbandi’s release.

Speaking at the first Afghan Forum for Media and Civil Society in Kabul, Mar. 29, organised by Inter Press Service and The Killid Group, Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, said he “would never have agreed to negotiate with the Taliban to free imprisoned terrorists.”

Last week, journalists from Afghanistan, Italy, and Peshawar, Pakistan, had issued an appeal to Dadullah, who is believed to be number two in the Taliban after the charismatic Mullah Omar, the long-time leader of the Islamist movement, to spare the life of the Afghan journalist. Besides, parliamentarians, human rights organisations and staff of the hospital run by Emergency had also issued separate appeals.

(*Released under agreement with Pajhwok Afghan News)

 
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AFGHANISTAN: Taliban Executes Freed Italian Scribe’s Colleague

Daud Khan and Samad Rohani*

KABUL, Apr 9 2007 (IPS) - A young Afghan journalist, who was abducted along with the freed Italian journalist Danielle Mastrogiacomo in southern Afghanistan by Taliban militants, was killed 48 hours ahead of the expiry of a deadline for negotiations issued to the government.
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