Female Journalists Attacked in Afghanistan, One Killed
Published at
Daniel Oberbillig/Thinkstock(KABUL, Afghanistan) — Two female western journalists were attacked Friday in eastern Afghanistan, leaving one dead and the other in stable condition.
The attack took place in Khost province, one of the most volatile regions in the country.
An eyewitness, speaking to ABC News by telephone, says the two were shot by an Afghan police officer while on assignment to cover the Afghan elections. It’s unclear if the shooter was an actual policeman or an insurgent dressed in police uniform.
Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry said the shooter is in custody.
The attack marks the third time in the past three weeks that foreign journalists have been targeted.
On March 11, Swedish journalist Nils Horner, 52, was shot to death at point-blank range by unidentified gunmen outside an upscale supermarket in one of Kabul’s most heavily fortified neighborhoods. The gunmen fled and remains at large.
On March 21, four young gunmen stormed into Kabul’s only five-star hotel, the Serena, and opened fire in the crowded restaurant, killing Afghan journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife, and two of his three children. The third remains in the hospital and is expected to survive.
Friday’s attack comes just one day ahead of a critical national election in Afghanistan. More than 350,000 security personnel have been deployed across the country to maintain order.
The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the elections, ramping up their attacks in recent weeks.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio