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Willie Apiata - Source: ONE News -
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Special Air Service soldier Corporal Willie Apiata has reassured his family he is safe in Afghanistan after New Zealand newspapers published an image of him taken moments after a battle which killed three Taliban militants.
The Defence Force said the publication of the photograph, taken by French freelance photographer Philip Poupin, could encourage militants to target the Victoria Cross recipient.
New Zealand troops were in Kabul in response to a Taliban attack on Afghanistan's Presidential Palace on Monday.
Cpl Apiata's aunt said he had contacted family in the Bay of Plenty to say he was "all right", The Dominion Post reported.
He and another soldier pictured in the photo had chosen to remain in Afghanistan until the end of their deployment, believed to be late next month.
Prime Minister John Key revealed it was Cpl Apiata in the photo after it was published by The New Zealand Herald on Thursday.
"At the end of the day, I'm not going to stand up and lie to the New Zealand media. If it's Willie Apiata, it's Willie Apiata."
"And at the end of the day, there was always a risk with Willie Apiata anyway because he was very well known and high-profile before he went to Afghanistan. But my preference would be that future photos that are shown have the faces blacked out."
The Defence Force said it was talking with The New Zealand Herald and other media to reach "common ground" over the publication of material which identified the army's elite SAS troops.
The Defence Force said the publication of the photograph had broken a "robust gentlemen's" agreement not to identify SAS soldiers because of the increased risk it created.
Cpl Apiata won his Victoria Cross in Afghanistan for rescuing a wounded comrade in 2004.
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