Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan, expressed serious concern over the killing of four media workers in the terrorist attack on the National Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) Afghan state Television station in Jalal Abad, capital of eastern Nangarhar province.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter appreciated the detention of one attacker and urged government of Afghanistan to ensure the safety of media institutions and media workers so that they can fulfill their professional responsibilities without fear.

According to Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), four staffers of RTA including two technicians, a driver and a guard and, two soldiers were killed in the attack. Gunmen stormed the local headquarters of RTA on 17 May 2017 about 10:30 am local time when most of the employees were at work.

Initially one attacker exploded himself at the entrance door of the RTA and then three others entered the compound which is close to the provincial governor’s office, according to media reports.

The terrorist group (ISIS/Daesh) claimed responsibility for the attack via its pseudo-news agency, Amaq.

Several media outlets have been attacked by militants Taliban and ISIS in the past years. The groups are actively threatening media outlets and journalists.

AFJC’s record shows that the killing the RTA staff brought to more than 72 the number of journalists and media workers killed in Afghanistan since falling of the Taliban regime in 2001. In 2016, with 13 killings makes the deadliest year for media community in Afghanistan.