Defence ministry media head sacked

KABUL): Head of media office at the Ministry of Defence has been removed on the charges of denying journalists to information regarding this week’s attack on the ministry, an official said on Wednesday.

“Whoever mistreated media people would be investigated,” the ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi, told reporters in Kabul. Apologising to reporters, he said no one had the right to misbehave with them.

On Monday, a suicide bomber managed to enter the heavily-fortified building in the Afghan capital. Three people, including an officer, were killed and six others wounded in the ensuing shootout.

Ministry officials allowed a few Afghan and foreign media outlets into the ministry to cover the incident. Security officials beat some of the journalists who were trying to cover the aftermath of the attack.

The journalists beaten on Monday included Naseer Ahmad Siddiqui, a reporter with Rose News Agency, Masoom Maiwand of Radio Free Europe and some others.

An international journalists’ protection group also condemned Afghan security forces for obstructing reporters trying to cover suicide attacks in the country.

Reporters Without Borders, also known as RSF, said in a statement: “We understand that, in such serious circumstances, protecting civilians must be the priority for the security forces. But news coverage is also a priority and must be respected.”

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