Photo: Screenshot/ABC News
An AFP cameraman and a BBC reporter were among 12 journalists killed in separate attacks including suicide bombings in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, taking one of the heaviest tolls on media representatives during the course of a single day.
Nine journalists were among 29 people killed in two suicide attacks in the Afghan capital, Kabul including Shah Marai of Agence France Presse. The AFP confirmed the death of its famous chief photographer, who covered the Afghan conflict through several years of bloodshed and chaos.
The Daesh or ISIS has claimed responsibility for the Kabul attacks.
Separately, Ahmad Shah, a 29-year-old reporter with the BBC’s Afghan service, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Khost province, a CNN report said.
The United States, the UN and world journalist bodies including the Committee to Protect Journalists have expressed shock and grief over the loss of media representatives and citizens in the Afghan capital.
The Kabul bombing became bloodier when an attacker posing as a TV cameraman detonated a second bomb at the site of an earlier explosion.
According to the Afghan media, the first blast took place in the Shashdarak area of Kabul , where the U.S. embassy and Afghan government buildings are located, prompting journalists to rush to the scene.
The second explosion stuck the site when the attacker, posing as a cameraman, detonated explosives as journalists converged on the scene, Kabul City Police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai told the media.
In a Twitter message Monday, AFP’s Global News Director, Michele Leridon praised the agency photographer Marai’s “extraordinary strength, courage and generosity” and praised his “consummate professionalism.
“This is a devastating blow, for the brave staff of our close-knit Kabul bureau and the entire agency. Shah Marai was a treasured colleague who spent more than 15 years documenting the tragic conflict in Afghanistan for AF,” the agency said in a statement.
Marai leaves behind six children, including a newborn daughter, the eAFP said.
In an essay entitled “When Hope is Gone,” written in 2016 — before the birth of his sixth child — he acknowledged the danger of living in the city with his young family.
“I don’t dare to take my children for a walk. I have five and they spend their time cooped up inside the house.
“Every morning as I go to the office and every evening when I return home, all I think of are- cars that can be booby-trapped, or of suicide bombers coming out of a crowd. I can’t take the risk,” wrote the photographer who covered the conflict for 15 years.
The explosion took place near the NATO’s Afghan headquarters, the US embassy and Afghan government buildings, including the Presidential palace, the Defense Ministry and the headquarters of Afghanistan’s intelligence services.
U.S. Ambassador John Bass renewed Washington’s commitment to support Afghans’ in their struggles.
“I condemn today’s terrible Kabul attack (and) reaffirm our commitment (to) stand with the Afghan people in their fight for peace (and) security across Afghanistan. We mourn for those murdered, including the brave journalists who stand for truth in the face of violence,” he wrote on Twitter.
In Washington, the Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemned the double suicide bombing attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.
“This latest attack on journalists in Afghanistan is a reminder of the extreme dangers to media workers in that country and of the extremely brutal tactics used there by enemies of the free press,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “The attack amounts to an assault on Afghan democracy as the nation prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for October.”
Voice of America released a statement from its head office, mourning the loss of Radio Free Europe journalists.
“Today we are saddened by the loss of two journalists from our sister network, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, who were killed this morning in twin suicide blasts in Kabul, Afghanistan. A third journalist who was scheduled to join RFE/RL in May was also killed.”
“We join RFE/RL President Thomas Kent in deploring this cowardly act against non-combatants and extend our deepest condolences to the families of all of those who lost their lives in today’s deadly attacks. With World Press Freedom Day on May 3, today’s tragedy is a reminder of the dangers that journalists face every day to bring global audiences accurate, objective and reliable news,” the VOA statement said.
At the UN Headquarters in New York, the world body said its mission in Afghanistan has strongly condemned the attacks.
“There is no justification whatsoever for such attacks […] those who have organized and enabled these attacks must be brought to justice and held to account.” Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and the head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country(UNAMA), said in a statement.
“I am outraged by the attack which appears to have deliberately targeted journalists; this attack, coming just ahead of World Press Freedom Day, is a direct assault on freedom of expression,” he said.
Iftikhar Ali from New York contributed to this report
