By: Marziye Vafayi

Center for the Afghan Journalists announced that Hamid Saighani, a prominent journalist for Ariana television network was killed in Kabul.  The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliate, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA), strongly condemn the attack and call on the international community to better assist in securing the safety of all Afghan media workers.

Today Fawzia Vahdat, Hamid Saighani’s wife, has confirmed her husband’s death on her Facebook page. She recently informed that Mr. Saighani got killed two hours before the explosion happened west of Kabul, and it’s absolutely miss informed by the Taliban authorities.

A Tunis car explosion happened shortly afternoon at west-Kabul Dasht-i-Barchi where Hazara community lives there, and according to the eyewitnesses; explosives had already been smelt in the vehicle, one body was discovered dead and four others injured badly.

 Zabihullah Mujahid the Taliban’s spokesperson Twitter” the Tunis car explosion that happened at the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul, was apparently caused by a fire, not a bomb. He also confirmed one person was killed and four were injured in the blast. The eyewitnesses told the media that it was a bomb that exploded and more casualties have been reported than official figures.

This incident took place at Dasht-i-Barchi west of Kabul, where most of the Hazara citizens live and were recently repeatedly targeted by the Taliban or ISIS. 

ISIS attacks have intensified in the country since the Taliban takeover on August 15 this year, which the Afghan analysis calls Taliban’s group with ISIS masks.

According to the Afghan Journalists defender, the situation of journalists in Afghanistan is deteriorating day by day and most of them are abandoned by the International community to auscultate safely. 

Taliban takeover raises fears about the future of Afghan media, although a number of journalists have evacuated Afghanistan, many others remain in the country with absolutely no freedom to publish what’s happening there, they are in extreme danger with various threats and economic problems. 

Afghan media workers and their families became targets as the Taliban raided their homes, forced female reporters off the air, and beat and arrested journalists.

CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon has warned that an entire generation of reporters is at risk and, as part of its advocacy efforts, the organization has called on the U.S. and other G-7 governments to do more to support their safe passage out of the country.

Fears were raised about the safety of Afghan journalists and the future of the vibrant media landscape that developed in the country over the last 20 years. Afghan media workers and their families became targets as the Taliban raided their homes, forced female reporters off the air, and beat and arrested journalists.

CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon has warned that an entire generation of reporters is at risk and, as part of its advocacy efforts, the organization has called on the U.S. and other G-7 governments to do more to support their safe passage out of the country.

Note:

If you are an Afghan journalist needing help CPJ is devoting the resources at its disposal to help Afghan journalists where possible. We are not equipped to evacuate people and only governments are able to issue visas but are registering and vetting cases of Afghan journalists at risk of Taliban reprisals. If you are an Afghan journalist seeking help, please send your information to emergencies@cpj.org.