Al-Afaq
May 21, 2008, in Baghdad, Iraq

Ouda, 32, a cameraman for Al-Afaq television, was returning home from an assignment at about 5 p.m. when he was shot in the Obaidi district of Baghdad, according to CPJ interviews and news reports.

Station spokeswoman Bushra Abdul-Amir told Reuters that witnesses reported seeing Ouda shot by an "American sniper." A witness interviewed by CPJ said that he believed Ouda was struck by a U.S. military sniper deployed on top of a nearby communications building. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. Al-Afaq correspondent Tariq Maher told Reuters that the shooting occurred during crossfire.

The U.S. military disputed the account. A military spokesman told CPJ that U.S. forces had halted operations in the area at the time of the shooting. "Operational reports indicate that coalition forces conducted these targeted operations between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. After 9 a.m., our efforts changed to conduct routine patrol of the streets of Baghdad," U.S. Army Lt. Col. Maura A.

Gillen said in an e-mail to CPJ.

Medium:Television
Job:Camera Operator
Beats Covered:War
Gender:Male
Local or Foreign:Local
Freelance:No
Type of Death:Crossfire/Combat-Related
Suspected Source of Fire:Military Officials

 

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