Newsman Dies in Afghan Attack, Photographer Hurt

Afghan rebels said today that Arizona Republic reporter Charles Thornton was killed in a battle zone in Afghanistan on Sept. 25, and that two American doctors and another journalist with him were wounded.

Some sources said the men were being escorted through the battle area by rebels when an Afghan helicopter strafed their jeep, killing one rebel and Thornton, 50. Other rebels said, however, that guerrillas hiding in a nearby bluff mistook the party for Soviets and opened fire on the jeep.

Injured in the attack were Peter Schlueter, 29, a photographer for the newspaper, and Drs. John Maugnum and Judd Jensen.

The rebel sources said the attack took place outside Kandahar, about 275 miles south of Kabul, the Afghan capital, and that Thornton was buried a few days ago in Kandahar.

It appeared likely that the wounded photographer and two doctors remained with rebels in Kandahar, the sources said.

The Arizona Republic said Thornton, of Phoenix, was a medical reporter for the paper, on assignment in Pakistan with Schlueter.

The newspaper said the two had no visa from the Afghanistan government, and had been in Pakistan to write medical stories on the treatment the rebels and Afghanistan refugees received in border camps.

The Kabul government allows few Western journalists to visit, but many enter Afghanistan with rebel bands based in Pakistan.