Berlin: Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have shot and killed a relative of a Deutsche Welle (DW) journalist while hunting for him. This was informed by the German broadcaster here Friday. The terrorists were conducting a house-to-house search for the journalist, who now works in Germany, DW said. A second relative was seriously wounded but others were able to escape, the broadcaster said, without giving details of the incident.
DW director general Peter Limbourg condemned the killing. He said this demonstrates the danger to media workers and their families in Afghanistan. The Taliban had raided the homes of at least three other DW journalists, the broadcaster said.
DW and other German media organisations have called on the German government to take swift action to help their Afghan staff.
After taking Kabul, the Taliban launched a public relations blitz promising media freedom and a pardon for all their opponents. However, this incident goes that the Taliban are yet to mend their old ways. A confidential UN document says that the Taliban they are intensifying their search for people who worked with US and NATO forces.
“The killing of a close relative of one of our editors by the Taliban yesterday (Thursday) is inconceivably tragic. It testifies to the acute danger in which all our employees and their families in Afghanistan find themselves,” Limbourg said.
“It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organised searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces. We are running out of time!” Limbourg added.
The Taliban have already warned that the media should refrain from writing against them. They have said that they will not be responsible for the security of those who are involved in protests against the present regimen.