Unknown armed men shot dead Niamat Rawan in the southern Kandahar city, a local source said, today, Thursday, May 06. Niamat Rawan was a former news anchor for TOLOnews and he had joined the Ministry of Finance (MoF) weeks ago.
Mohammad Rafi Tabi, the MoF spokesperson, confirmed to Kabul Now that Mr. Rawan was killed by unknown armed men.
Mr. Rawan was assassinated today, Thursday, around 10:30 AM, in Shahid Ahmad Wali square of PD12 of Kandahar city, the capital city of the southern Kandahar province, said Jamal Naser Barakzai, spokesperson for Kandahar Police Chief.
According to TOLOnews, Rawan had terminated his employment contract as its news anchor nearly three weeks earlier and had joined the Ministry of Finance.
No group has claimed responsibility for the targeted killing.
A dramatic rise is seen in targeted killings ever since the US-Taliban peace deal was signed in Doha on February 29, 2020, particularly since the start of intra-Afghan talks in September 2020. The targeted violence has claimed scores of lives, including journalists, in different parts of the country.
On May 03, the Reporters without Borders (RSF) reported that at least 20 journalists and media workers, including four women, have been killed over the last eight months across Afghanistan.
Most of the targeted killings go unclaimed but the government accuses the Taliban of target killings.
Abdullah Abdullah, Chairperson of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and his deputy, Enayatullah Babur Farahmand have condemned Mr. Rawan’s assassination.
