Two reporters killed in Taliban suicide bombing

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the death of two reporters – Abdul Wahab of Express TV and Pervez Khan of Waqt TV – in a double suicide-bombing today at a meeting of tribal elders in a government building in Ghalanai, the main town in the northwestern Tribal Area of Mohmand. About 40 people were killed by the two explosions in quick succession, which were claimed by the Taliban. “We appeal to the Taliban to immediately stop this repugnant practice of organizing suicide bombings at public meetings attended by civilians and covered by journalists,” Reporters Without Borders said. Last May, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders issued a joint worldwide appeal in which they condemned “with the utmost firmness all recourse to suicide bombings in the middle of crowds of civilians that result in the deaths of innocent people including media workers.” Read the appeal: http://en.rsf.org/pakistan-worldwide-appeal-by-journalists-10-05-2010,37427.html In today’s atrocity, the two suicide bombers detonated their charges at the entrance to the main political administration building in Ghalanai as representatives of the Alizai and Safi tribes were assembled for a meeting with government officials. In addition to those killed, about 70 people were wounded, including the journalist Mohib Ali. During a recent meeting in Peshawar with a Reporters Without Borders representative, Wahab and Khan had said security in Mohmand was their biggest problem. “We have to face threats from both sides,” Wahad said. “The outside world cannot imagine how difficult it is to work in the Tribal Areas right now.” Tribal Union of Journalists president Ibrahim Shinwari said: “We have lost two colleagues. This new incident has confirmed the vulnerability of the media in this conflict situation.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Mohmand-based journalist said: “As cameramen, they had to get close to this kind of meeting. That is what exposed them to danger.” Claiming responsibility for today’s double suicide-bombing, Taliban leader Umer Khalid said it was carried out to avenge the fact that the Pakistani security forces in Mohmand had handed over foreign combatants to the United States. Pakistan is the world’s most dangerous country for the media, with a total of 11 journalists killed since the start of 2010. The Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, is on the Reporters Without Borders list of “Predators of Press Freedom”: http://en.rsf.org/predator-mullah-mohammad-omar,37284.html