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Sunday 27 May 2012

Fixers are the unsung heroes of foreign wars

Sam Kiley pays tribute to Sultan Manadi who was killed last week during the operation to save Stephen Farrell, and says any idiot can be a war reporter with the help of a good fixer

These days some media groups try to be honourable and secure their fixers contracts and occasionally insurance. The BBC and Bowen went to great lengths to compensate Abed’s family even though, when he died, he had no formal relationship with the broadcaster beyond a passion for the story and an affection for Bowen himself. But more often than not the fixers who provide the most important service and give the best value for money in the news-gathering game are at the bottom of the media food chain.

I have stayed in touch with Saif and Qais; they are still in Iraq, both are now married and have successful business careers. I don’t know what befell the Abdulahis, but I doubt they are still alive. The sad truth is that one way and another, we abandon our fixers in the end. Perhaps this is because we know, deep down, that we owe them too much.

Sam Kiley is the author of Desperate Glory: at war in Helmand with Britain’s 16 Air Assault Brigade, published by Bloomsbury.

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