Death of Afghan journalist in border clashes raises alarms over press freedom in conflict zones News
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Death of Afghan journalist in border clashes raises alarms over press freedom in conflict zones

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged both Taliban and Pakistani authorities on Thursday to investigate the killing of Afghan journalist Abdul Ghafor Abed.

Abed, a provincial reporter for Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), was killed on October 15 while covering cross-border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces in  Zazai Maidan district of Afghanistan’s Khost province. He was reportedly caught in the fighting while reporting from the frontline. Tawab Arman, a broadcast manager from RTA, was injured in the incident. According to RTA, both journalists had been deployed from neighboring Paktika province to cover the escalating hostilities. Mustaghfar Grubaz, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s police command in Khost, said the RTA journalists were targeted by Pakistani forces while reporting on the fighting. The Afghanistan Free Journalists Union has also reported that the journalists were deliberately targeted by Pakistani forces.

CPJ’s Asia-Pacific director, Beh Lih Yi, called for accountability, stating: “Taliban and Pakistan authorities must thoroughly investigate the circumstances of Abed’s death so that those responsible can be brought to justice,” adding that “Journalists reporting from conflict zones are protected as civilians under international law.”

The killing occurred amid heightened tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where recent airstrikes and retaliatory assaults have raised fears of further escalation. Dozens of soldiers and civilians have reportedly been killed. The Taliban claim that the latest violence was triggered by Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul on October 9, which they said prompted counterattacks on Pakistani military outposts. Both sides announced a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday.

Under international humanitarian law, journalists covering armed conflicts are recognized as civilians and must not be targeted. However, since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Afghanistan’s media landscape has deteriorated sharply. Press freedom groups report that dozens of journalists have been detained or assaulted by Taliban authorities, and crossfire incidents along the border have claimed several media workers’ lives. Abed’s death thus reflects the growing risks faced by journalists reporting from hostile regions.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat did not respond to CPJ’s requests for comment.

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