NPR Photographer and Interpreter Killed in Afghanistan
Their vehicle was hit by shellfire, NPR said.
— -- NPR photographer David Gilkey and NPR Afghan interpreter Zabihullah Tamanna were killed on assignment Sunday in Afghanistan, NPR said.
NPR said they were traveling with an Afghan army unit near Marjah in southern Afghanistan when the convoy came under fire and their vehicle was hit by shellfire.
Gilkey was traveling on assignment with NPR reporter Tom Bowman and NPR producer Monika Evstatieva, who were not harmed, NPR said.
Gilkey was a staff photographer and video editor for NPR, where he had worked since 2007, according to his NPR biography. He was named the still photographer of the year by the White House Photographers Association in 2011.
Gilkey covered conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, Michael Oreskes, NPR's senior vice president of news and editorial director, said in a statement.
"He was devoted to helping the public see these wars and the people caught up in them. He died pursuing that commitment," Oreskes said. "As a man and as a photojournalist, David brought out the humanity of all those around him. He let us see the world and each other through his eyes."
Jarl Mohn, the president and CEO of NPR, said in a statement, "Horrific incidents like this remind us of the important role journalists play in America's civic life. They help us understand beyond the headlines and see the humanity in others. We are devastated by the death of David and Zabihullah. Our hearts go out to his family, his friends and his colleagues out in the field."
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