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Third journalist killed in Afghanistan in one month

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(Last Updated On: December 10, 2020)

Gunmen opened fire and killed Malalai Maiwand, a radio and television journalist, in Jalalabad city early Thursday morning in what has become yet another suspected targeted attack on media workers.

Maiwand was killed shortly after 7.30am in the Nangarhar provincial capital, along with her driver, while on her way to work. She worked for provincial radio and TV station Enikass.

Reacting to the attack, Ministry of Interior spokesman Tariq Arian said in a tweet that “unfortunately, in the last decade and a half, the vast majority of journalists have been killed by the Taliban.”

Maiwand’s death on Thursday has brought the total number of journalists killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 52, according to CPJ data.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for her death.

This latest incident comes less than a month after Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Elyas Dayee was killed in an IED explosion in Lashkargah city in Helmand province.

The November 12 incident happened after insurgents attached a magnetic IED to Dayee’s car and came less than a week after former TOLOnews TV presenter Yama Siawash was killed in the same type of attack.

“This is part of an alarming pattern of increased threats and attacks on the media by the Taliban,” Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said in a tweet after Dayee’s death.

Thursday’s attack comes just three days after NATO allies and partners in Afghanistan issued a joint statement condemning the ongoing targeted attacks and assassinations of individuals, including journalists.

This comes after almost daily killings of people who appear to have been singled out by insurgents to be assassinated.

Of the dozens of people killed in this way in the past few months are judicial officials and media representatives among others.

The signatories to the statement specifically stated that they expect that all parties to the conflict will protect the freedom and the independence of the media and civil society in Afghanistan.

“We reaffirm our commitment to champion the freedom of all the Afghan people. We call for immediate compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

“To this end, we support the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to investigate and prosecute those who are targeting these individuals with violence and immediately end the impunity of these killings.”

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Media Violation Commission bans two TV channels

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

The Media Violations Commission has ordered Noor and Barya TV channels to stop broadcasting and to appear in court, state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Tuesday.

ّIt is said that the decision against the channels was taken for “not observing the principles of journalism.”

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Hekmatyar slams US for ‘occupying’ Afghanistan’s airspace

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

Former Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has criticized the United States for patrolling Afghanistan’s airspace with drones.

Hekmatyar said in a speech Tuesday that any form of American presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable.

“Afghanistan’s airspace is under occupation. Expressing this issue is our religious responsibility. We have sacrificed the most for freedom. We do not accept any presence of America. We do not accept any kind of foreign rule,” he said.

Hekmatyar also stated that there is a possibility of American troops entering the country again.

“[Former] President Trump’s national security advisor says that their departure was a mistake and that they should return. This is not an ordinary issue. The possibility that they will make a mistake again and return to Afghanistan is very strong,” he said.

The Islamic Emirate has not commented so far on Hekmatyar’s remarks, but it has confirmed sightings of drones over Afghanistan.

“It is required that the respected officials of the caretaker government give explanations on this matter and respond to the concerns of the Afghan people in this matter, because important and great national issues are important for every Afghan citizen and if there is a problem, it will be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Fazl-ul-Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.

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Uzbek and Qatari leaders discuss Trans-Afghan Railway project

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(Last Updated On: April 16, 2024)

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks on a number of issues including the Trans-Afghan Railway project.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade issues, strengthening of relations and regional matters, including the escalating situation in the Middle East.

In October 2023, Uzbekistan Railways JSC presented the Trans-Afghan Railway project to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport.

Subsequently, deliberations were held on Qatar’s involvement in the project’s execution.

In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction.

The envisioned transport corridor, estimated at approximately $5 billion, aims to connect Europe, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian nations, boasting a transit capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo.

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