Attack on journalists in Mazar-e-Sharif widely condemned

Saturday’s bomb blast targeting journalists in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Balkh province has been widely condemned by countries and organizations around the world.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it was a despicable attack and called for violence to stop.

“Afghan reporters show immense courage & must be protected,” UNAMA said on Twitter.

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Tomas West said he was “deeply saddened” by the attack.

“We condemn these continued, senseless acts of violence. We believe in the resilience of the Afghan people and their capacity to rebound,” West said.

EU Charge d’Affaires for Afghanistan also strongly condemned the attack on journalists and that which killed Balkh governor two days earlier.

“This violence needs to stop. My thoughts are with those injured and all grieving families. Journalists risk their lives for their work and have to be protected. They are #NotATarget!” Raffaella Iodice said on Twitter.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the attack as “cowardly.”

Nasser Kanaani, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said that such attacks are carried out by the enemies of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Saturday’s bomb blast at Tebyan cultural center in Mazar-e-Sharif city killed a guard and wounded eight others including five journalists.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack.