5 Journalist killed in Afghanistan in the last 2 months

Media is the voice of oppressors and when they are in danger then it is hard to spread the truth and protect the oppressed. The killings of journalists in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for every peace-loving country. In the past 2 months, at least five journalists were murdered.

A few days ago the editor-in-chief of a local radio station, Bismillah Aimaq was shot dead by some attackers in the central province of Ghor.

Aimaq was a journalist and human rights, activist. He was shot dead by some unidentified gunmen when he was returning city from the village after visiting his family. Aimaq’s brother and his mother who were also present in the vehicle during the shooting are unharmed.

Last week, Rahmatullah Nekzad, head of the Ghazni Journalists’ Union was also shot dead. The killer used a gun with a silencer and fired on him when he was on his way to a nearby mosque for offering Namaz. Nekzad also used to work as a freelance journalist and he is survived by six kids.

Days before the killing of Rahmatullah Nekzad, a female journalist Malala Maiwand was also shot dead. Malala was killed in eastern Afghanistan when she was on her way to work. Her driver, Mohammad Tahir also get killed in the attack. Even her killers are unidentified till now.

Malala was a Journalist at Enikass TV and Radio and a civil society activist. Her mother who was also an activist was killed in an attack five years ago.

The UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) condemning the murder tweeted, “UNAMA condemns the killing today of human rights activist and journalist Malala Maiwand in #Jalalabad #Afghanistan. It is particularly shocking that her life was taken on International Human Rights Day. “

Yama Siawash, a former TV presenter also got killed in a bomb blast in November. He was an anchor on the private TV channel Tolo News but turned into a public relations adviser for the Central Bank of Afghanistan recently.

Yama had a bachelor’s in law and political science and he spent almost a decade as Journalist in Afghanistan. Along with Yama two more were killed from the blast caused by the car that exploded near his home in the capital Kabul.

Aliyas Dayee a 33-year-old journalist who spent all his life covering the conflict between the military and the Taliban. The brave journalist got killed in a bomb blast. A tiny magnetic “sticky bomb” had been placed inside the wheel arch which exploded killing Dayee and injuring his brother, Mujtaba. He was a reporter for Radio Liberty for the last 12 years and has previously get threats from the Taliban.

Saba Sahar, a 44-year-old Afghan actress and one of Afghanistan’s first female film directors was also attacked by some unidentified gunmen. Saba was on her way to work when she got attacked and three gunmen opened fire on her car. She is the most famous actress in Afghanistan and also a campaigner for women’s rights.

Afghanistan has been called one of the world’s deadliest countries for reporters by
The international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders. The Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee has criticized these targeted attacks on Journalists and said at least seven media personnel have been killed this year and two journalists were killed in separate bombings last month.

In recent months targeted killings of prominent figures, journalists, politicians, and human rights activists, have increased at a very alarming rate.

Most of the attackers are still unidentified and government officials blame the Taliban for the majority of the killings. The killings of activists and journalists have drawn condemnation from the UN, Nato, and the European Union.