Nine journalists were among at least 25 people killed in twin bombings in Kabul on Monday. One BBC journalist was also killed in a separate incident in the eastern province of Khost, making it the deadliest day for media workers in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban. Among the dead were:
Shah Marai, Agence France-Press
Marai, who came from the Shamali Plain in northern Kabul, was a veteran chief photographer with the Agence France-Presse news agency in Afghanistan. He had worked with the agency since 1996, first as a driver and later as a fixer, before becoming a full-time photographer in 2002. Marai had chronicled the fall of Taliban in 2011.
This tragedy reminds us of the danger that our teams continually face on the ground and the essential role journalists play for democracy,” said Fabrice Fries, the CEO of AFP.
AFP reported that Marai’s camaraderie was demonstrated in a message he sent moments before Monday’s second Kabul bombing, in which he had reassured a video colleague who could not reach the scene. “No worry man, I am here,” he said by WhatsApp, adding that he was shooting video in addition to taking photos.
He leaves behind six children, including a new-born daughter.
Yar Mohammad Tokhi, Tolo News
Tokhi was a 54-year-old cameraman who was due to marry his fiance in less than a month. Described by his colleagues as one of the most dedicated and hardworking staff in his organisation, he had worked for Afghanistan’s Tolo News and Tolo TV for 12 years. Tokhi’s death leaves his ailing mother and unmarried sister, who has cancer and relied on him for help, extremely vulnerable
