Two Afghan journalists killed as gunmen open fire in radio station

KABUL: Two Afghan journalists were killed on Tuesday night when gunmen entered a radio station and opened fire, authorities said.

The presenter and reporter, both males in their 20s, died at the scene, said Semin Hussaini, director of Radio Hamsada.

It was not known if they were on air at the time and both police and Hussaini said they no idea of the motive for the attack in Taloqan, capital of the northern province of Takhar.

Theirs was the second killing of journalists in Afghanistan this year. Last month the Taliban kidnapped and later killed government worker and part-time journalist Javid Noori.

Jawad Hejri, spokesman for the Takhar governor, said the gunmen fled without being identified and police were investigating.

Taliban and other Islamist insurgents have repeatedly targeted Afghan journalists, killing 15 in 2018, the deadliest year yet for the country’s media, according to Reporters Without Borders.

The Paris-based media rights group said the three most dangerous countries for journalists to work in were Afghanistan, Syria and Mexico.