Tuesday, January 20, marks the 10th anniversary of a suicide bombing by the Taliban on a vehicle carrying employees of TOLO TV in Kabul, killing at least seven staff members in one of the deadliest attacks on media workers in the country.
The attack took place on Jan. 20, 2016 on Darul Aman Road in western Kabul, when a bomber on a motorcycle rammed into the vehicle and detonated explosives, Afghanistan’s interior ministry said at the time. At least 25 other people were wounded.
Those killed included Mohammad Jawad Hosseini, Zainab Mirzaei, Mehri Azizi, Maryam Ebrahimi, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi and Hossein Amiri.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out in retaliation for what the group described as “false reporting” by TOLO TV on fighting in the northern city of Kunduz.
Following the Taliban’s capture of Kunduz in 2015, several media outlets reported allegations that Taliban fighters had assaulted women in a hostel in the city. The Taliban rejected the reports and subsequently declared TOLO TV and another private broadcaster, 1TV, to be “military targets,” drawing widespread condemnation from Afghan and international organizations.
The attack heightened concerns over the safety of journalists in Afghanistan and was widely condemned by rights groups, governments and media organisations.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on the media, including bans on music, entertainment programmes and criticism of authorities. Journalists have been detained, beaten or forced to sign pledges limiting their reporting, according to Afghanistan media groups and international watchdogs.
The United Nations and press freedom organisations say dozens of media outlets have closed due to restrictions, economic pressure and intimidation, sharply reducing independent reporting in the country.
The Taliban say they support media activity within what they describe as Islamic and national values, but rights groups argue the restrictions have severely undermined press freedom and public access to information.
