A French photojournalist has come under fire in France for her pictures of Talibans fighters responsible for the death of 10 French soldiers.

Two weeks ago, a group of Talibans killed 10 French soldiers after ambushing them. Véronique de Viguerie, a photographer working with the French news magazine Paris Match, met with Commander Farouki, the Taliban leader responsible for the attack.

Talking to French radio Europe 1, de Viguerie justified her images. 'I believe I did my job, and I hope this will not offend anyone.'

But it did. Speaking to the same radio station, French General Michel Stollsteiner objected to the publication. 'To see a French magazine show these images is revolting. I find it indecent 15 days after the death of these soldiers to see these images, which bring nothing to the debate,' he says. '[The journalists] must have gave them something to be allowed to take these pictures.'

However, Eric de Lavarène, who works with de Viguerie, is adamant: no money exchanged hands and it wasn't the first time they met with the Talibans. 'There is a conflict. We cover one side: the coalition and NATO forces. And it's also the wish of a journalist to cover the other side. Communication and propaganda come from both sides,' he says.

De Viguerie adds details about how she met with the Taliban fighters. 'It took some time, and we used some of our contacts out there'. She used a fixer/interpreter to get to the Talibans. However, they would only meet with a woman, de Lavarène says. 'They don't trust foreign men. They only trust the women.'

In her thirties, de Viguerie says that she wasn't too comfortable meeting them. 'But, when you follow the rules and when you have the authorisation of their leaders, we become their guests'.

The pictures can be seen in this week's issue of Paris Match, or online at www.parismatch.com.