Skip to main content
Latest news
Thumbnail

Ghani Says Media Will Not Bow To Terrorism

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani condemned Tuesday’s attack by Daesh on Shamshad TV station in Kabul and described the attack as inhumane and an attack on the freedom of press. 

According to a statement issued by the Presidential Palace: “The enemies of Afghanistan, by carrying out a terrorist attack on Shamshad TV, once again showed that they can resort to any kind of conspiracy and inhuman acts to reach their evil objectives.” 
 
According to Ghani, insurgents and terrorists will not be able to restrict the activities of the media through such attacks. 

He said that press freedom is one of the greatest achievements by Afghanistan and is an integral part of the Constitution. 

Ghani also pledged that government will do whatever it can to ensure the protection and security of journalists. 

Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU) also slammed the attack and said it was against freedom of speech.

“Shamshad TV had been under threats by terrorists in recent times; fortunately the terrorists failed to reach their objectives which was to massacre the entire staff force of the TV (station),” said Fahim Dashti, head of ANJU.

The attack on Shamshad TV also sparked widespread international condemnation. 

Amnesty International slammed the attack on Shamshad TV and called it a horrific crime. 

Responding to the attack Amnesty International's Deputy South Asia Director, Omar Waraich, said: “The attack on Shamshad TV is a horrific crime that tragically demonstrates the risks Afghanistan's journalists face for their legitimate work. 

“The Afghan authorities must do what they can to protect the country's media, allowing them to work freely and without fear. The perpetrators must be brought to justice through fair trials without recourse to the death penalty. Impunity for attacks on journalists must end.

"This latest attack also underscores the grim fact that Kabul continues to be one of the most hazardous places in the country. European countries, which continue to forcibly return people to Afghanistan, must confront this reality and dispense with the dangerous fiction that Afghanistan and its capital are safe. By sending asylum-seekers back to Afghanistan, they are putting them in harm's way," read the statement. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned the attack on Shamshad TV and said it was an attack on press freedom and on civilians. 

Stoltenberg said it was yet another example of attacks on civilians –  “which is unacceptable”.

“The last few weeks have been tough in Afghanistan, with a number of brutal and senseless attacks. Such as today’s attack on Shamshad TV,’ he said.

The US embassy in Kabul also came out against the attack, calling it a “terrorist act against free press.”

“I'm deeply disturbed by reports of attack on Shamshad network and condemn such terrorist acts against free press. It will not stand,” said Special Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul Hugo Llorens on Twitter. 

Tuesday’s attack on Shamshad TV underlines the deteriorating security situation in the country as it comes amid a series of deadly attacks that have left a trail of destruction from Kandahar, Paktia to Kabul among other provinces.

Early Tuesday morning, Daesh insurgents infiltrated Shamshad TV compound in Kabul after detonating explosives at the gate. 

Reports say that two people were killed and 20 others were wounded in the attack. 

Ghani Says Media Will Not Bow To Terrorism

President Ashraf Ghani said Afghanistan’s enemies will not reach their “evil objectives” by targeting the country’s media. 

Thumbnail

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani condemned Tuesday’s attack by Daesh on Shamshad TV station in Kabul and described the attack as inhumane and an attack on the freedom of press. 

According to a statement issued by the Presidential Palace: “The enemies of Afghanistan, by carrying out a terrorist attack on Shamshad TV, once again showed that they can resort to any kind of conspiracy and inhuman acts to reach their evil objectives.” 
 
According to Ghani, insurgents and terrorists will not be able to restrict the activities of the media through such attacks. 

He said that press freedom is one of the greatest achievements by Afghanistan and is an integral part of the Constitution. 

Ghani also pledged that government will do whatever it can to ensure the protection and security of journalists. 

Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU) also slammed the attack and said it was against freedom of speech.

“Shamshad TV had been under threats by terrorists in recent times; fortunately the terrorists failed to reach their objectives which was to massacre the entire staff force of the TV (station),” said Fahim Dashti, head of ANJU.

The attack on Shamshad TV also sparked widespread international condemnation. 

Amnesty International slammed the attack on Shamshad TV and called it a horrific crime. 

Responding to the attack Amnesty International's Deputy South Asia Director, Omar Waraich, said: “The attack on Shamshad TV is a horrific crime that tragically demonstrates the risks Afghanistan's journalists face for their legitimate work. 

“The Afghan authorities must do what they can to protect the country's media, allowing them to work freely and without fear. The perpetrators must be brought to justice through fair trials without recourse to the death penalty. Impunity for attacks on journalists must end.

"This latest attack also underscores the grim fact that Kabul continues to be one of the most hazardous places in the country. European countries, which continue to forcibly return people to Afghanistan, must confront this reality and dispense with the dangerous fiction that Afghanistan and its capital are safe. By sending asylum-seekers back to Afghanistan, they are putting them in harm's way," read the statement. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned the attack on Shamshad TV and said it was an attack on press freedom and on civilians. 

Stoltenberg said it was yet another example of attacks on civilians –  “which is unacceptable”.

“The last few weeks have been tough in Afghanistan, with a number of brutal and senseless attacks. Such as today’s attack on Shamshad TV,’ he said.

The US embassy in Kabul also came out against the attack, calling it a “terrorist act against free press.”

“I'm deeply disturbed by reports of attack on Shamshad network and condemn such terrorist acts against free press. It will not stand,” said Special Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul Hugo Llorens on Twitter. 

Tuesday’s attack on Shamshad TV underlines the deteriorating security situation in the country as it comes amid a series of deadly attacks that have left a trail of destruction from Kandahar, Paktia to Kabul among other provinces.

Early Tuesday morning, Daesh insurgents infiltrated Shamshad TV compound in Kabul after detonating explosives at the gate. 

Reports say that two people were killed and 20 others were wounded in the attack. 

Share this post