Nine journalists were among at least 30 people killed in Monday’s deadly twin explosion in Kabul city.
Monday’s attack, claimed by Daesh, took place in a heavily-fortified area of the city and comes just nine days after the group claimed credit for a suicide bombing on an election-related facility in the capital killing at least 60 people and wounded scores others.
Media Under Attack
On Monday, 10 journalists died around the country bringing the total to 11 in only six days.
Nine were killed in Kabul and the 10th, a BBC Pashto journalist, was killed in Khost province.
Monday’s Kabul bombing is the worst against media since the January 2016 suicide bombing that targeted a TOLO TV staff bus, killing seven media workers and wounding 26 others.
Reports indicate a suicide bomber, posing as a journalist, detonated his explosives while standing among a group of reporters.
Today’s victims are as follows:
1. Yar Mohammad Tokhi – TOLOnews Cameraman
Yar Mohammad Tokhi is one of nine journalists who lost their lives in Monday’s explosion. Tokhi was 54 years old and was the only breadwinner in his family. He was engaged and due to be married within a month. Tokhi and his fiancé had been wedding shopping over the past few days. But Daesh ended his dreams on Monday.
Tokhi had worked for TOLO TV and TOLOnews for 12 years. He is survived by his ailing mother and his sister, who has cancer.
2. Shah Marai – AFP Photographer
Shah Marai Faizi was AFP’s chief photographer in their Kabul bureau. Marai joined AFP as a driver in 1996, the year the Taliban seized power, and in 2002 he became a full-time photo stringer, rising through the ranks to become chief photographer in the bureau.
Marai was the only breadwinner in his fifteen-member family. He has two blind brothers who have been left devastated by his sudden death.
He leaves behind six children, including a newborn daughter, AFP said.
"This is a devastating blow for the brave staff of our close-knit Kabul bureau and the entire agency," said AFP Global News Director Michele Leridon.
3. Ghazi Rasooli – 1TV Journalist
Ghazi Rasooli joined 1TV four years ago as a journalist and was studying journalism at Kabul University. His was in his final year and was hoping to graduate this year.
Rasooli, 21, was engaged and he was expected to marry next month.
On Monday morning, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near an National Directorate of Security (NDS) office in Kabul city, Rasooli was tasked to cover the incident.
4. Nawroz Ali Rajabi – 1TV Cameraman
Nowroz Ali Rajabi, 1TV cameraman, joined the news channel two years ago.
Rajabi was the only breadwinner in his family. He has left behind a three-month-old baby, elderly parents and his wife.
Rajabi had also been at the scene of the explosion to cover the first incident.
5. Farishta Mahram Durani – Azadi Radio
Farishta Mahram Durani was a journalist for Azadi Radio in Kabul. She had been saving up to pay for university. Durani was hired recently as the producer of the “Woman” program for the radio station. Durani had worked as a news anchor with several media outlets in Afghanistan.
6. Sabawoon Kakar – Azadi Radio
Sabawon Kakar was another journalist from Azadi Radio who lost his life in the attack. Kakar was covering the aftermath of the first blast when the second explosion rocked the city. Kakar is survived by his wife and a child.
7. Ebadullah Hananzai – Azadi Radio
Ebadullah Hananzai was another Azadi Radio journalist killed in the explosion. Hananzai married only one year ago. He was also the only breadwinner in his family. Hananzai was also the producer of Karwan-e-Zahr (the Poison Convoy) which covered issues related to drug cultivation and production in Afghanistan.
8. Saleem Talash – Mashal TV
Talash joined Mashal TV two years ago as a reporter and was based in Kabul city.
He was engaged a month ago and was supposed to marry soon.
Talash was also at the scene of the explosion to cover the earlier blast. Just moments before the second explosion, Talash sent a text message to friends warning them against using the road close to the scene. It was minutes later, during rush hour, that the suicide bomber detonated his explosives.
9. Ali Saleemi – Mashal TV
Ali Saleemi joined Mashsal TV only a week ago and lost his life on Monday morning while accompanying Talash.
He had been assigned to cover the incident along with Talash when the explosion happened.
10. Ahmad Shah --BBC Journalist Shot Dead In Khost
Ahmad Shah, a BBC Pashto reporter, became the 10th journalist to die on Monday when he was shot dead in Khost province.
The incident happened at about 4pm local time, Khost officials confirmed.
Journalists in Khost province said he was shot by unknown armed men who were riding a motorcycle.
Ahmad Shah joined BBC a year ago and was based in Khost province.
Gunmen on Monday shot him in Kotkai area, a region near Khost city.
This also comes just six days after another journalist, Abdul Manan Arghand, was gunned down in Kandahar – also by men on a motorcycle.