US journalist, his translator killed in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON: Award-winning American journalist David Gilkey and his translator were killed while travelling with an Afghan army unit that came under fire in southern

WASHINGTON: Award-winning American journalist David Gilkey and his translator were killed while travelling with an Afghan army unit that came under fire in southern Helmand province, in a sign of just how dangerous the conflict remains for the media trying to cover it.

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The translator was identified as Zabihullah Tamanna, 38. Two other National Public Radio journalists travelling with Gilkey in a separate vehicle, reporter Tom Bowman and producer Monika Evstatieva, were unharmed.

NPR said the vehicle in which Gilkey, 50, and his translator were travelling was struck by shellfire near the town of Marjah on Sunday.

“David has been covering war and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. He was devoted to helping the public see these wars and the people caught up in them. He died pursuing that commitment,” said Michael Oreskes, NPR’s senior vice president of news and editorial director.