An American photojournalist was killed in a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan Sunday, together with his Afghan translator.

Veteran National Public Radio (NPR) journalist David Gilkey, 50, is the first American journalist outside of the military to be killed in the Afghan conflict.

He was traveling with 38-year-old local journalist and translator Zabihullah Tamanna in an Afghan army convoy in the restive southern Helmand Province when their vehicle was hit by an incoming shell during a Taliban ambush.

The driver of the vehicle was also killed in the attack, though two other NPR journalists traveling with them escaped injury.

In a statement, NPR’s Senior Vice President Michael Oreskes described Gilkey as a committed journalist dedicated to open people’s eyes to the situation in wore-torn Afghanistan.

“David has been covering war and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. He was devoted to helping the public see these wars and the people caught up in them. He died pursuing that commitment,” he said.

“As a man and as a photojournalist, David brought out the humanity of all those around him. He let us see the world and each other through his eyes.”