An Afghan journalist-turned spokesman for the country’s public protection force was killed along with two colleagues today by a bomb targeting their vehicle, the interior ministry said.
The murder of Zia Wadan, who previously worked for several media networks in Afghanistan, appeared to be the latest in a series of targeted killings that have rocked Afghanistan, especially Kabul.
Wadan and his colleagues were killed in morning rush-hour traffic in an eastern part of the capital, ministry spokesman Tariq Arian told reporters.
“A vehicle carrying Zia Wadan was targeted with an IED... as a result Wadan and two of his colleagues were killed,” Arian said, adding that another person was wounded.
No group has claimed the attack so far.
Wadan was spokesman for the National Public Protection Force (NPPF), a security service under the interior ministry that deploys guards to international organisations across Afghanistan.
Deadly violence has surged across the country in recent months, and a new trend of targeted killings has sowed fear, especially in Kabul.
High-profile figures including journalists, politicians and rights activists have increasingly been targeted despite peace talks between the government and Taliban.
Since November, five journalists have been killed in targeted killings along with several other prominent figures. – AFP, January 10, 2021
