Afghan media safety in question as gunmen shoot journo dead on way to work

Kandahar: Gunmen killed an Afghan journalist on his way to work in the southern city of Kandahar on Tuesday, officials said, an attack that highlights the risks faced by media workers in Afghanistan.

Abdul Manan Arghand, who worked for Kabul News TV, was shot by gunmen armed with AK-47s as he was driving his car, police spokesman Zia Durani said.

The attack came the same day as a meeting in Kabul to discuss how to safeguard journalists. The UN mission in Afghanistan issued a statement condemning the killing.

Year 2017 was the bloodiest for journalists in Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Journalists’ Safety Committee, with at least 20 killed and 169 cases of violence or threats.