R.I.P.: Toofan Omar, Station Manager Murdered By Taliban

Toofan Omar

Suspected Taliban fighters killed an Afghan radio station manager in Kabul and kidnapped a journalist in southern Helmand province, reports Reuters citing local government officials. The killing is the latest in a long line of attacks targeting media workers.

Gunmen shot Toofan Omar, the station manager of Paktia Ghag radio and an officer for NAI, a rights group supporting independent media in Afghanistan, in a targeted killing in the capital on Sunday.

"Omari was killed by unidentified gunmen...he was liberal man...we are being targeted for working independently," said Mujeeb Khelwatgar, the head of NAI.

Officials in Kabul suspected Taliban fighters had carried out the attack.

A coalition of Afghan news organizations have written to U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders in the House of Representatives, urging them to grant special immigration visas to Afghan journalists and support staff.

The Taliban seized three northern cities over the weekend and were threatening to capture more, ramping up an offensive against Afghan government forces that followed Washington's announcement that it would end its military mission in the country by the end of the month.