Friday, February 24, 2006

Meanwhile, during the Fallujah assault...

While Captain Obvious and his fearless forces were wearing multi-pocket khakis, bullet proof vests, and pith helmets, embedded with the Movie Stage A-24th and surrounded by Marlboro men and women, this is what Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Mansur and his cameraman Laith Mushtaq were up to.
...I kept taking photographs and pictures. After that, immediately, the wall in front of me, which I was taking protection with, it was fired upon extensively. That is, very highly intense, so I took refuge, and I laid down on the ground holding my camera and looking, and then I saw Rashid smoldered in blood, and there was extensive firing. I could not even shout and call the rest of the crew, our team, and for a moment, I felt I cannot do anything. I tried to advance, then I go back because of the firing. Red firing on the roof. And after that was lightened a little bit, I held his leg, and I shook it, and I said, “Rashid! Rashid!” And he did not answer me, so I went toward his face and saw three bullets in his head in those areas. He had five kids. The older is nine years old, the eldest...

...The bombing in that area or this area, even some people started saying, “Ahmed, do not move. You are being targeted. Anyone can kill you.” In the city there's no protection for anyone. And whenever somebody meets me, he says, “Why you walk in the street?” Some of those who were afraid for our lives saying, “They will kill you. Anyone who has a gun can shoot you. There's no protection here for anybody.” Despite all that, we were not thinking but about reporting the truth to people. Despite that, they accused us of lying, only because they don't want to see the truth. They don't want the world to see the truth and the reality.

1 comment:

Neil Shakespeare said...

Yeah, imagine if everyone you met was a potential suicide bomber or could pull a gun on you and shoot you for looking at them wrong. I'm surprised anyone is brave enough to even go out on the streets over there.