JournalismPakistan.com | Published February 06, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channelTwo journalists were shot and killed when gunmen stormed their radio station in northeast Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday, underscoring the dangers faced by reporters in the war-torn country.
The pair, both men in their 20s, were gunned down inside the studios of Radio Hamsada, a private broadcaster based in Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack and an investigation was underway, provincial spokesman Jawad Hejri told AFP.
“Two unidentified gunmen entered the radio station's office at around 6:00 pm on Tuesday. They opened fire on two reporters who were behind their mics during a live programme. Both reporters died at the scene,” he said.
The attack is the second this year in Afghanistan targeting journalists, and comes as diplomatic efforts to end the 17-year war have intensified.
Last month, Afghan citizen journalist Jawid Noori was snatched from his car and murdered by the Taliban in Farah province in the country's west.
The year 2018 was the deadliest on record for journalists in Afghanistan, according to Reporters Without Borders.
US ambassador to Kabul, John Bass, said he was “saddened and angered” by the killings.
“It is time to #EndImpunity for crimes against journalists. #PressFreedom,” he tweeted.
Amnesty International described the latest attack as a “horrific crime” and urged Afghan authorities to ensure protection for journalists so they could work safely.
“This attack once again highlights the risks journalists continue to face in Afghanistan for just doing their job,” the group's South Asia researcher, Zaman Sultani, said in a statement.
Afghanistan's Journalists Safety Committee called on the government to “identify the perpetrators and make sure that the justice is served.”
AFP's chief photographer in Afghanistan, Shah Marai, was among 25 people killed along with eight other journalists in a bomb attack in April 2018.
Less than three months later, AFP driver Mohammad Akhtar was killed in another suicide attack on his way to work.
According to RSF, 60 journalists and media workers have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime and enabled independent media to blossom in its wake — an average of around three a year.
The losses have devastated the tight-knit community that faces the real prospect of tragedy every time they go to work and are forcing outlets to ask themselves hard questions about how to cover Afghanistan's conflict. - AFP/Representational photo
February 11, 2025: The PFUJ has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to suspend the PECA Amendment Act, arguing that the law curtails press freedom and contains contradictory provisions. The court has issued a notice to the Attorney General for assistance.
February 09, 2025: Hum News Network becomes the first Pakistani channel to embrace AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, enhancing productivity and innovation. Discover how this visionary move sets new standards in media.
February 08, 2025: As Pakistan faces an economic crisis, the government splurges taxpayers' money on full-page ads and press releases to glorify its achievements. Critics call it a wasteful PR stunt. Read how public funds are being misused for political propaganda.
February 07, 2025: PTV pensioners staged nationwide protests demanding their unpaid pensions, medical benefits, and dues for nearly 400 retirees. Protesters, supported by PFUJ, criticized PTV management for corruption and lavish expenses while neglecting retirees' rights.
February 06, 2025: PFUJ has challenged the controversial PECA Act 2025 in the Islamabad High Court, citing it as an attack on press freedom. Journalists and rights organizations protest the law’s implications for free speech and media independence in Pakistan.
February 06, 2025: Pakistani women journalists like Munizae Jahangir and Asma Shirazi face severe threats, harassment, and online abuse. This article explores the struggles of women in media, the systemic challenges, and potential solutions to ensure press freedom and journalist safety.
January 29, 2025: As the White House welcomes podcasters and digital journalists, Pakistan tightens censorship through PECA amendments, silencing independent voices and forcing journalists into exile. A stark contrast in press freedom emerges.
January 29, 2025: Pakistan’s latest PECA amendments expand government control over social media, criminalize misinformation, and threaten freedom of expression. Media stakeholders and human rights groups condemn the draconian changes. Learn more about the implications for journalists and activists.
February 14, 2025 Justice remains elusive 16 years after the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, as Sri Lanka’s Attorney General orders the release of three key suspects. Journalist organizations strongly condemn the move, calling for urgent action to end impunity for crimes against the media.
February 09, 2025 The Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship 2025 is open for applications! This prestigious program at Columbia University offers journalists an intensive seminar on trauma reporting, media ethics, and responsible journalism. Apply by March 3, 2025.
February 07, 2025 Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.
February 05, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Indian government to stop targeting independent journalism after revoking the nonprofit and tax-exempt statuses of The Reporters’ Collective and The File. Learn how this impacts investigative reporting and media freedom in India.
February 04, 2025 Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has opened a criminal case for disclosure of state secrets following Ukrainska Pravda’s report on statements by military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. CPJ urges authorities to respect press freedom and journalist protections.