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October 16, 2025 – Afghanistan –
An Afghan journalist, Abdul Ghafoor Abed (also spelled Abed/Abid), was killed, and another reporter, Tawab Arman, sustained injuries while covering cross-border hostilities between Taliban forces and Pakistan on October 14, 2025. The incident unfolded in Khost province, notably in the Zazai Maidan district, close to Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan.
The two belonged to Paktia National Television (PNT) and were reporting on Taliban military operations in the border zone when they came under attack, reportedly from Pakistani forces and possibly via a drone strike. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU), Ghafoor was fatally struck, while Arman and their driver were wounded and later evacuated. The precise number of journalists injured remains unconfirmed.
Information from local sources and media rights groups frames this as one of the most serious clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Pakistan acknowledged losses of 23 soldiers, while the Taliban reported nine casualties on their side. The hostilities reportedly followed Pakistani airstrikes over Kabul earlier in the week, provoking retaliatory operations in border areas.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and AIJU strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing that journalists operating in zones of armed conflict are protected under international norms and must not be treated as targets. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stressed, “Journalists are civilians, not targets,” and called on belligerents to allow media professionals to work without fear of violence or retaliation.
Similarly, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) demanded a thorough, impartial investigation into the killings and injuries, urging immediate accountability and enhanced safety measures for media workers. In parallel, the Afghanistan Free Journalists Union (AFJU) asserted that the reporters had been deliberately targeted and urged global press freedom bodies to act.
Journalists, especially those covering conflict regions or border zones, remain vulnerable to violence and collateral harm. Incidents like this underline ongoing threats to press freedom and highlight the urgent need for legal protections, accountability, and safer working conditions for media professionals in volatile areas.
Reference –
Afghan Journalist Killed, Another Wounded in Reported Cross-Border Fire from Pakistani Forces
