KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A private radio station has begun broadcasting in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar Province, coinciding with National Journalist Day.
The station, named “De Sind Ghag”, officially started its operations on Wednesday (18 March) in Asadabad, the provincial capital.
Abdul Qadoos Shams, the deputy head of the station, said it will air news, educational and public awareness programmes on 89.5 FM.
He added that the station will broadcast for 18 hours a day and will be accessible through radio frequencies across parts of the province.
Officials at the station say they are committed to maintaining “impartiality” in their work and will give special attention to issues affecting women and children.
The launch comes amid ongoing restrictions on media activities by the Taliban, who have imposed wide-ranging limitations on journalists and media outlets since returning to power.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported on Wednesday that violations of media rights and violence against journalists have increased by 20% over the past year.
Human Rights Watch called on international actors to hold the Taliban accountable for human rights abuses and to ensure protection for Afghanistan’s minority communities, journalists, and activists.
Afghanistan now ranks 175th out of 180 countries on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, just above Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Eritrea. Over half of the country’s media outlets have closed. Many journalists have fled or gone into hiding. Women face even tighter restrictions, including a ban on broadcasting female voices in some provinces.
