Journalist Nekzad dies in hospital from bullet wounds

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Senior journalist Rahmatullah Nekzad died in hospital after being shot injured by unknown gunmen in southern Ghazni province on Monday, the governor said.

Ghazni Governor Syed Omar Nuristani told Pajhwok Afghan News that Rahmatullah Nekzad, a former Al Jazeera reporter and head of the province’s journalists’ union, was shot in Khwaja Hakim area of ​​Ghazni’s second district this evening..

He said Nekzad died at hospital from deep wounds.

Meanwhile, the Taliban also expressed grief over the killing of Nekzad.

The group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Rahmatullah Nekzad, a professional journalist, had been killed in Ghazni.

“We strongly condemn this cowardly act. We offer our condolences to Nekzad’s family. We consider this murder a loss for the country. Nekzad had a very good relationship with us as a committed journalist.”

Nekzad was the fifth journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in the past two months.

Ghazni police spokesman Ahmad Khan Seerat told a foreign news agency Nekzad was shot dead with a silenced pistol by unknown gunmen near his home while he was travelling to a nearby mosque.

The Al Jazeera Media Network said it was “shocked at the news of the killing” and strongly condemned “any act of violence against journalists and attempts to silence them”.

Nekzad’s death follows the killing earlier this month of female news anchor and activist Malalai Maiwand, who was shot dead along with her driver in Jalalabad in an attack claimed by Daesh or Islamic State group.
Last month, Radio Liberty reporter Aliyas Dayee was killed in a car bomb attack in southern Lashkar Gah city.

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