Radio Free Europe correspondent killed by car bomb

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 12 November 2020

Elias Daei, a correspondent for Radio Free Europe, was killed by a car bomb in Helmand province, Afghanistan. This incident raises concerns over journalist safety in the country.
Summary

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondent Elias Daei was killed in an explosion in the Helmand province of Afghanistan on November 12. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation for journalist safety in Afghanistan.

According to Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA), the journalist was killed when the car bomb exploded in his car. The IFJ and AIJA are gathering more information about the incident.

With the targeted killing of Daei, the number of journalists killed in Afghanistan this week reaches two. Last week, Yama Siawash, former TOLO News Television journalist was killed in a targeted explosion in the Makrorayan-e-Char area of Kabul.

The killing of the journalists follows the devastating terrorists-attack on Kabul University on November 2, killing 20 people and injuring more than 40, is a reminder of the deteriorating security situation in the country.

Afghanistan is one of the world’s deadliest countries for journalists. According to the IFJ South Asia Press Freedom Report, six journalists were killed in Afghanistan in 2019.

The killing comes during the IFJ’s 2020 End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists campaign to demand governments put an end to impunity and to highlight and denounce crimes targeting journalists.—IFJ media release

KEY POINTS:

Elias Daei was killed in an explosion on November 12.
The International Federation of Journalists is alarmed by journalist safety issues in Afghanistan.
Daei's death marks the second journalist killed in a week in Afghanistan.
Prior to Daei, former TOLO News journalist Yama Siawash was also killed in Kabul.
Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.