Seven employees of popular Afghan TV channel TOLO were killed yesterday when a suicide car bomber rammed into their minibus in Kabul, just months after the Taliban declared the network a legitimate military target. At least 25 other people were wounded in the bombing near the Russian embassy in downtown Kabul, marking the first major attack on an Afghan media organisation since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the carnage, as violence escalates despite an international push to jumpstart Taliban peace talks. TOLO, a privately run news and entertainment station that is often critical of the Taliban. The deadly assault highlights the growing dangers faced by media workers in Afghanistan, as the security situation worsens amid escalating militant attacks.