Taliban terrorist group must be held responsible for killings

The Taliban, merely by denying their involvement in the recent targeted killings, must not be absolved from such acts, said Tahir Zuhair, the Afghan acting minister of Information and Culture.

Zuhair said that the continued targeted killings of Afghan journalists is severely impacting the status of press freedom in Afghanistan, and he called on the Ministry of Interior to define a new security strategy to help ensure security and safety for media workers and journalists.

“Whether the Taliban accepts it or not, they are responsible for all such acts of violence that happen in Afghanistan,” said Zuhair.

“We demand a review of the security strategy for the journalists and media community,” said Abdul Manan Shewai Sharq, the deputy minister of Information and Culture.

Journalists said that a lack of attention to investigating attacks against media workers will cause severe harm to press freedom in the country.

“Undoubtedly, the journalists and activists face an unknown enemy,” said Mohammad Raqeeb Fayaz, a journalist.

“They failed to suffocate the voice of freedom of the press despite multiple attacks on the journalists,” said Khadija, a journalist.

However, the Minister of Interior Massoud Andarabi has said that special measures will be taken to thwart targeted attacks in the country.

In the latest acts of violence against the media, a journalist in Ghazni, Rahmatullah Nikzad–who was also head of the journalists’ union in the province–was killed in an attack by armed men on December 21.

Former TOLOnews presenter Yama Siawash, Radio Azadi reporter Elyas Daee, Enekaas TV’s presenter in Nangarhar Malala Maiwand, and Ariana News presenter Fardin Amini all have been killed in different incidents since November 7.

Source: Tolo News