9 reporters killed in bombing

PARIS – Monday marked the bloodiest day for journalists in a long time: At least nine were killed and a halfdozen wounded in a double-suicide bombing in Afghanistan’s capital.

Almost as alarming as the bloodshed — at least 25 people were killed overall and dozens wounded — was the modus operandi. It appeared that the journalists were targeted intentionally by a bomber who hid among members of the media rushing to cover the first explosion.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said Monday it is formally appealing to the U.N. secretary general for the creation of a special U.N. envoy for protecting journalists.

The Washington-based Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemned the attack, calling it “a reminder of the extreme dangers to media workers in that country” and “an assault on Afghan democracy.”

Monday’s bombing by the Islamic State group was the deadliest attack targeting reporters since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, according to Reporters Without Borders.

It said 36 media workers have been killed in Afghanistan in attacks by the Islamic State group or the Taliban since 2016. The country has seen a string of large-scale bombings and assaults recently — and another attack Monday killed 11 children and wounded eight Romanian NATO soldiers.

The journalists targeted in Kabul were Afghans working for media organizations from various countries.

Agence France-Presse said its chief photographer in Kabul, Shah Marai, was among those killed.

RSF named the others as: ToloNews cameraman Yar Mohammad Tokhi; three journalists for Radio Free Europe – Ebadollah Hananzi, Sabvon Kakeker and Maharam Darani; two cameramen for Afghan network TV1, Ghazi Rasoli and Norozali Rajabi; and Salim Talash and Ali Salimi of local Mashal TV.

In claiming the Kabul attack, the Islamic State group didn’t say that journalists were specifically targeted.