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KABUL: The Nato-led foreign military force in Afghanistan admitted Thursday that a US soldier shot dead an Afghan journalist working for the BBC in July after mistaking him for a suicide bomber.
Ahmed Omed Khpulwak, 25, was killed in a case of ‘mistaken identity’ shortly after 20 people died in a suicide bombing at the office where he was working in troubled southern Afghanistan.
The US soldier responsible for his death is not facing any disciplinary action in connection with the incident, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings said.
Cummings could not confirm whether the soldier was still on active duty in Afghanistan.
“After a thorough investigation, it was determined the reporter was killed in a case of mistaken identity,” ISAF said in a statement.
“Mr Khpulwak was shot by an ISAF member who believed he was an insurgent that posed a threat and was about to detonate a suicide vest improvised explosive device.” It said the soldier involved had “complied with the laws of armed conflict and rules of engagement and acted reasonably under the circumstances.” Khpulwak’s death on July 28 came after two suicide bombers struck the offices of state broadcaster RTA (Radio Television Afghanistan) in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan’s south, an area seen as the Taliban’s heartland.
US forces were sent to the scene in the provincial capital Trinkot to fight insurgents.
They were clearing the building after the suicide bombers had blown themselves up when a soldier saw Khpulwak near a broken wall. Others believed they heard him fire at least one shot.
Another soldier approached him and saw him “with something clinched in one of his fists and reaching for something on his person with his other hand,” ISAF’s summary of a report into the incident said.
“The soldier assessed the actions as those of a suicide bomber who was taking steps to detonate an IED (bomb),” the report said. “He shot the individual with his M-4 (assault rifle).”ISAF later discovered that Khpulwak was unarmed and the shooting which soldiers heard was probably fire from their own side.
Khpulwak reportedly sent his brother two text messages shortly before he died. The first said: “I am hiding. Death has come.” The second said: “Pray for me if I die.” The BBC asked Nato to investigate the incident last month after what it called “conflicting reports” over the death.
In response to ISAF’s findings, the BBC said it was studying the statement and awaiting the full report into what happened.
“The loss of Ahmed Omed is a tragedy for his family and friends as well as his colleagues at the BBC,” said Peter Horrocks, the director of BBC global news.
“Ahmed Omed’s death further highlights the great dangers facing journalists who put their lives on the line to provide vital news from around the world.” Khpulwak worked for the BBC on a freelance basis.
US-based non-profit organisation the Committee to Protect Journalists says that 26 journalists have been killed around the world so far this year.
In 2009, ISAF troops rescued New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell who had been kidnapped by the Taliban but accidentally shot dead his Afghan interpreter, Sultan Munadi.
And in 2010, British aid worker Linda Norgrove was killed as US special forces tried to rescue her from kidnappers.
Non-combatant casualties in foreign military operations are highly sensitive in Afghanistan and have frequently drawn angry and emotional reactions from President Hamid Karzai.
The United Nations says 1,462 civilians were killed in the war in the first half of this year, up 15 per cent on the same time last year. Insurgents were responsible for 80 per cent.
The war in Afghanistan started nearly ten years ago, a month after the 9/11 attacks in the US.
There are around 140,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, most from the US.
Limited troop withdrawals started this year but all foreign combat forces are due to leave by the end of 2014.
