Two Western Female Journalists Shot - By Afghan Policeman

 

A uniformed Afghan policeman yelled 'Allahu akbar' and opened fire on two western female journalists while they were sitting in a car waiting for a convoy to move.

Anja Niedringhaus (left) was killed and Kathy Gannon was wounded twice and is receiving medical treatment.

German photographer Anja Niedringhaus, 48, had received international recognition for her work and Gannon, a Canadian, was the AP's Pakistan and Afghanistan correspondent.

"Anja and Kathy together have spent years in Afghanistan covering the conflict and the people there. Anja was a vibrant, dynamic journalist well-loved for her insightful photographs, her warm heart and joy for life. We are heartbroken at her loss," said AP Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll, speaking in New York.

The attack took place in the small town of Khost Tanay district in Khost province near the Pakistan border, where the women were working on a story about the upcoming elections. They were waiting for a convoy to move near the heavily guarded police compound when a police commander identified by a government spokesman as Naqibullah walked up to the car, yelled "Allahu Akbar" — God is Great — and opened fire on them in the back seat with his AK-47.

To give you an idea of how this Saturday's election is likely to go, the Taliban have a standing offer of 500 Pakistani rupees - the equivalent of just over $5 (likely accompanied with an 'or else') for people's voter cards so that they will not participate in the coming election. And apparently they're also swamping districts they control with fake ones. I can't imagine why these folks are wasting time working in Afghanistan when the Democratic National Committee and Organizing America would pay quite well for experienced operatives like these to work the midterms.

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission has said at least 10 percent of polling stations will not be able to open due to the threat of violence, the majority of them in the east of the country.And a number of polling places simply aren't going to be open because there's no way to prevent mass fraud and ballot box stuffing.

The sooner we exit and leave these people to their accustomed 7th century ways, the better.