Azizullah Haidari
Male
Verified Azizullah Haidari was an Afghan photojournalist for Reuters. He was killed in an ambush on November 19, 2001, while traveling near Sarobi, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Azizullah Haidari was a photojournalist from Afghanistan working for the international news agency Reuters. He was part of a small group of local journalists who continued to report from the country during the intense military campaign that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.
On November 19, 2001, Haidari was traveling in a convoy with other journalists and anti-Taliban fighters on the road from Jalalabad to Kabul, passing through the Sarobi district. According to reports from Reuters and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the convoy was ambushed by unidentified gunmen. Haidari was shot and killed in the attack.
His death occurred during the opening phase of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, known as Operation Enduring Freedom. The operation aimed to dismantle the Taliban regime and al-Qaeda following the 9/11 attacks. The period was marked by widespread instability and shifting front lines between Taliban, U.S., and Northern Alliance forces.
The Committee to Protect Journalists confirmed Haidari's death as a work-related killing. Reuters issued a statement mourning the loss of their colleague. His death was reported by international news agencies, highlighting the extreme dangers faced by local journalists covering the conflict.
Haidari is remembered as one of the first journalist casualties of the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. His name is recorded on memorials for fallen journalists maintained by organizations including the CPJ and Reuters.
Explore Further
Azizullah Haidari was killed during the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001–2021). The conflict concluded in August 2021. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Johanne Sutton, Pierre Billaud, Volker Handloik, Maria Grazia Cutuli.
