Saturday, May 20, 2017
Kabul (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani denounced attack on National Radio Television building in eastern Nangarhar provinces, calling it against the freedom of expression, a presidential statement said.
The president as quoted in the statement said terrorists have always been trying to extinguish the voices of those working for the media and trying to reflect the true information. He said terrorist would not reach to their vicious goals of preventing Afghans from reaching freedom and experiencing democracy.
Besides extending condolences to families of those martyred, the president vowed to do more for security of the media men.
According to Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman, ten people, including four attackers, were killed and 17 others wounded in militants attack on the National Radio Television building in eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday morning. He added four assailants were involved in the attack — two blew themselves up and the two others were gunned down by security forces during an exchange of fire.
Khogyani explained most employees of the broadcaster were rescued. Health officials confirmed six injured people had been transferred to hospital. They are said to be in stable condition.
Daesh or the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the assault on national broadcasting facility. Meanwhile, a number of media advocacy groups and journalists on Thursday denounced yesterday’s attack on the Radio Television of Afghanistan (RTA) office in eastern Nangarhar province as ‘a war crime.’
Seddiqullah Tawhidi, head of Nai, an organization that supports open media in Afghanistan, told a press conference in Kabul that the governor and security organs of eastern Nangarhar province had been informed four days in advance about a possible attack.
He said security organs had committed negligence in protection of the RTA building in Jalalabad, saying local officials should be interrogated about the incident.
“Terrorists once again targeted media and journalists who are neutral and exhibited their enmity with innocent and non-military people,” he said. Afghanistan Journalists Center (AJC) also in a statement called the incident a criminal and terrorist act, asking security officials to prioritize ensuring security of media facilities and journalists and prevent such incidents in future.
