Twenty years ago, journalists Johanne Sutton, Pierre Billad and Volker Handloik were killed in Afghanistan.

Twenty years ago, it happened in Afghanistan. Under the pressure of the Afghan uprising and the onslaught of the US-led international coalition, the Taliban were living their last hours in power in Kabul. On the ground, in northeastern Afghanistan, Posted by Johannes Sutton, journalist at RFI, Pierre Billaud, former journalist at RTL and former Radio France, and Volcker Handloik, German newspaper Severe. On November 11, 2001, when they were targeted by the Taliban, they pursued a series of Northern Alliance fighters between Talokan and Kunduz. Kalashnikov fire, anti-tank rockets, at the end of the ambush, three journalists were killed.

In one of his last statements to the RTL, shortly before his disappearance, Pierre Billaud described the lives of Afghan women under Taliban rule. They described their life in a country on his microphone “Prison for Women”, The prospect of the Taliban’s downfall gave them little hope. Evidence that the Taliban will regain power in Afghanistan in 2021. Twenty years later, the news that Johanne, Pierre and Volker wanted to describe came to a full circle.

In this statement, we hear the voice of Johann Sutton: he was the one who confirmed the translations of the testimonies to Pierre Billad.

BIerre Billaud, 31, was in Afghanistan for three weeks when he was killed. Prior to RTL, he was Chief Correspondent for Foreign Service for two years, switching to the microphones of France Inter and Franceinfo. Johanne Sutton is 35 years old. He joined RFI in 1990 and was a reporter in London. Former head of RFI’s reporting service, he joined in 1996 and was re – elected as a field reporter. Volker Handloik, 40, worked for a German newspaper Severe.