Geneva, Oct 18 (V7N) – The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media rights and safety organization based in Geneva, has expressed grave concern over the killing of two Afghan journalists within two days and urged all parties not to target media professionals performing their duties in conflict zones.

According to local Afghan media reports, veteran journalist Abdul Zahir Safi, 55, associated with Afghanistan’s state-run media outlets, was killed on October 16 in an alleged airstrike that struck a civilian area in Kabul. Safi reportedly lost his life amid cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, becoming the 145th journalist killed worldwide in 2025.

Earlier, on October 14, journalist Abdul Ghafoor Abid, 40, who worked as a provincial correspondent for Paktia National Radio Television (operated under Taliban administration), was killed in the Khost locality. Another media worker, Tawab Arman, sustained injuries in the same incident. The Afghanistan Independent Journalists’ Union (AIJU) has strongly condemned both killings and called for justice for the victims’ families.

Both Afghanistan and Pakistan have reported heavy casualties in recent cross-border hostilities, worsening the security situation for journalists covering the ongoing conflict.

In a statement issued from Geneva, PEC President Blaise Lempen condemned the killings and called for an independent investigation. “PEC demands an impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to the deaths of both Afghan journalists. Abdul Zahir Safi and Abdul Ghafoor Abid were reporting from conflict zones and must have the freedom to work safely,” Lempen said.

The PEC further noted that these were the first journalist fatalities in Afghanistan this year. In neighboring Pakistan, five media professionals — A.D. Shar, Abdul Latif, Syed Mohammed Shah, Imtiaz Mir, and Tufail Rind — have been killed since January 1, 2025.

The organization reiterated its appeal to regional authorities to ensure the protection of journalists and uphold press freedom amid ongoing conflicts in South Asia.

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