Amrullah Saleh, the First Vice President on Wednesday said that Afghan security forces have detained 11 Taliban cell members who were responsible for many IED attacks, including the murder of former Afghan Journalist Yama Siawash.
Saleh hinted that the find and capture operation was launched after a tip from an informant led security officials to “identify, locate and apprehend” Talib “terror” cell involved in numerous bombings and murder of prominent figure Yama Siawash on November 7th.
Security force members also found dozens of magnetic bombs and IEDs belonging to the group.
“We have invited media community, human rights organizations, civil society activists and advocacy groups to see the files, interview the terrorists and fulfill the wish of the grieving families,” he tweeted.
Yama Siawash, media adviser of the Central Bank and former TOLOnews presenter along with Hamdullah Anas, the deputy head of the Central Bank office, and Aminnulah the bank’s driver were murdered in a magnetic IED explosion in Makroryan-e-Chahar area in Kabul city.
Despite peace efforts at least 11 human rights defenders and media workers were murdered in Afghanistan since September 2020, and a total of 65 human rights defenders and media professionals were assassinated from January 2018 to January 2021, a UNAMA report indicated.
Attacks on media outlets have put preserving freedom of speech and expression at risk in Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch has recently blamed Taliban for their attacks on media workers including women.
The watchdog reported that “the Taliban commanders and fighters have engaged in a pattern of threats, intimidation, and violence against members of the media in areas where the Taliban have significant influence, as well as in Kabul.”
