Observers have speculated that the attacks near foreign missions could also be aimed at destabilising attempts to revive peace talks with the Taliban.
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A deadly Taliban suicide bombing against Afghanistan’s leading private media group, Tolo News, sparked strong domestic and worldwide outrage and condemnation as an assault on freedom of speech.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but the Taliban will be the main suspects as they have launched numerous attacks in the city.
The Afghan Journalists’ Federation called on the government to investigate the level of security provided for personnel at the threatened television stations, and on the owners to provide greater protection for the staff.
“If they do not stop their evil activities this will not be the last attack on them”, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said in an emailed statement. Tolo TV, another MOBY channel is wildly popular and broadcasts, among other commercial programming, Afghan Star.
An attack carried out by Taliban militants in Afghanistan Wednesday evening was widely condemned Thursday, including by some of the country’s leading religious authority.
Yet it is hardly the only group responsible for recent violence in Afghanistan.
The Afghan outlets had reported allegations that Taliban fighters had committed rapes in the battle for Kunduz, among other abuses.
Delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States convened in the Afghan capital on Monday for a one-day meeting seeking a negotiated end to the 14-year Taliban insurgency.
A Russian Foreign Ministry source said the attack was not directed at its embassy, according to Interfax news agency.
Gen. John Campbell, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, told Congress last fall that between 1,000 and 3,000 active ISIS members were in Afghanistan. They are part of a media expansion in Afghanistan that many consider among the country’s major recent achievements.
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The Taliban in October declared TOLO and 1TV, both privately run news stations as legitimate “military targets”. By “revealing the truth to the public, the media become unacceptable for the Taliban”, he said.
