Asia-Pacific

Army photographers captured mortar blast that took their lives

Training exercise explosion in Afghanistan killed five, including two personnel recording it

US army photographer Hilda Clayton took this photograph on July 2nd, 2013. It shows an Afghan soldier engulfed in flame as a mortar tube explodes during a live-fire training exercise in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. The accident killed Clayton and four Afghan soldiers. Photograph: Hilda Clayton/US army via AP
US army photographer Hilda Clayton took this photograph on July 2nd, 2013. It shows an Afghan soldier engulfed in flame as a mortar tube explodes during a live-fire training exercise in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. The accident killed Clayton and four Afghan soldiers. Photograph: Hilda Clayton/US army via AP
Thu May 04 2017 - 11:27

The US army has released two photographs that show the moment an accidental mortar tube explosion killed five people in Afghanistan, including an American combat photographer who took one of the images just before her death.

Army specialist Hilda Clayton was photographing a live-fire training exercise on July 2nd, 2013, in Laghman Province, east of Kabul, when a mortar tube exploded, killing her and four Afghan army soldiers, according to the US army magazine Military Review.

One of the Afghan soldiers killed in the blast was a photojournalist who was training with Clayton, the magazine said in an article posted on its website.

US army combat photographer Hilda Clayton, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013/ Photograph: US army via Reuters
US army combat photographer Hilda Clayton, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013/ Photograph: US army via Reuters
A mortar tube accidentally explodes, killing four Afghan soldiers and US army photographer Hilda Clayton. The picture was taken at the moment of detonation by one of the Afghan soldiers. Photograph: US army via Reuters
A mortar tube accidentally explodes, killing four Afghan soldiers and US army photographer Hilda Clayton. The picture was taken at the moment of detonation by one of the Afghan soldiers. Photograph: US army via Reuters

It said there had been discussion about the decision to publish the images taken by Clayton and her Afghan counterpart.

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"This edition of the Military Review is focused on promoting the concepts of gender equality and these photographs illustrate the dangers our military men and women face both in training and in combat," the magazine said.

Reuters