TOLONews Journalist Ziar Yaad Beaten At Gunpoint By Taliban Quashes His 'Death' Rumours

The TOLONews journalist was reporting on poverty and unemployment at the Haji Yaqub intersection in Kabul. The journalist said the Taliban got out of an armored vehicle and "hit him at gunpoint.”

TOLONews journalist Ziar Yaad | Image Courtesy: Twitter - @ziaryaad

A reporter with TOLONews in Afghanistan Ziar Yaad and his cameraman were beaten by the Taliban in Kabul on Wednesday for unknown reasons. It is said that the journalist was reporting on poverty and unemployment at the Haji Yaqub intersection in Kabul.

Ziar Yaad informed that when they were taking pictures of the area “the Taliban came and without asking took his mobile phone". The journalist also said that the cameraman and him were beaten "with a shotgun."

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“I still don't know why they behaved like that and suddenly attacked me. The issue has been shared with Taliban leaders; however, the perpetrators have not yet been arrested, which is a serious threat to freedom of expression,” Ziar Yaad said in a tweet after several media outlets reported about him being beaten to death.

While clarifying his death rumors, Yaad said “the Taliban got out of an armored Land Cruiser and hit me at gunpoint.”

The confusion around the death news of TOLONews journalist arose after a Pashtun news' headline, related to Ziar Yaad, was wrongly translated. 

Meanwhile, several Afghan journalists have been expressed concern about this situation and said such cases should be investigated by the Taliban.

Parviz Aminzadeh, deputy head of the Parwan Journalists' Association, said: "The Taliban's treatment of journalists since they took control of Afghanistan and Kabul has been a source of concern for journalists."

"This is a matter of great concern to Afghan journalists, and we urge the Taliban to address these issues," said journalist Hezbollah Rouhani.

In a separate incident, a United Nations (UN) staff member was stopped by the Taliban while he was on his way to reach Kabul airport on Sunday. According to Reuters, his vehicle was searched and on finding his UN identification was beaten by the Taliban.

The incidents are among dozens contained in an internal UN security document assessed by Reuters that describes veiled threats, looting of UN offices, and physical abuse of staff since August 10, shortly before the Taliban swept to power.