Afghan reporters blame NATO for colleague’s death

: A group of Afghan journalists has blamed international troops for the death of a kidnapped colleague during a rescue operation.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Media Club of Afghanistan also criticizes NATO commandos for leaving his body behind while they rescued a foreign New York Times writer. They condemn the Taliban for abducting both men last week in northern Afghanistan.

Local journalists laid flowers at the grave of reporter and translator Sultan Munadi on Thursday in Kabul. He died in a NATO raid on Wednesday to free him and New York Times writer Stephen Farrell. Munadi was caught in crossfire but Farrell survived.

The reporters blamed international forces for launching a military operation without exhausting other channels.