GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Unidentified gunmen shot dead Rahmatullah Nekzad, a journalist in southern Ghazni province, on Monday, an official said.

Mohammad Osman Janbaz, Ghazni police chief, said the gunmen attacked Rahmatullah Nekzad, a former Al Jazeera TV reporter and head of the journalists’ union in the Khwaja Hakim area of ​​Ghazni’s first district, at around 6:30 p.m. He was killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry expressed sorrow over the death of Rahmatullah Nekzad, saying he had obtained a firearms license to ensure his safety, but was killed on his way to the mosque this evening.

“Enemies of the media and the light, who fear the spread of war crimes, have recently targeted some journalists and freedom of expression activists,” he said.

He said an investigation had been launched.

Meanwhile, the Taliban issued a statement expressing sorrow over the death of Rahmatullah Nekzad.

The group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on Twitter: “We strongly condemn this cowardly act, offer our condolences to Nekzad’s family, consider this killing a loss for the country.”

He said Nekzad had a good relationship with them.

This is the fifth Afghan journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in the past two months.