Head of Anadolu Agency denounces killing of Al Jazeera journalist

Shireen Abu Akleh was reportedly shot in head by Israeli forces in city of Jenin in West Bank, near UN schools

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) – The director-general of Anadolu Agency on Wednesday denounced the killing of a renowned Al Jazeera journalist by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.

Wearing a vest marking her as a journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by a shot to the head near the camp of Jenin, close to UN schools, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

“Israeli forces killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by shooting her in the head while she was on assignment in the occupied West Bank,” said Serdar Karagoz, Anadolu Agency’s head.

“The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is killing journalists who are on the job and must be held responsible for this. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last,” he added.

One of her colleagues, Al Jazeera’s Ali Al-Samoudi, was shot in the back, the ministry added. Now in stable condition, he said the journalists were "directly" targeted by Israeli forces, as quoted by state news agency Wafa.

The Israeli army said in a statement that it was "investigating” Abu Akleh’s death.

Abu Akleh was born in Jerusalem in 1971 and earned a BA in journalism and media from Yarmouk University in Jordan.

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