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Gunmen Kill Prominent Journalist in Western Afghanistan

Associated Press

   KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - An Afghan journalist and human rights activist was
   shot and killed Friday by unidentified gunmen in western Afghanistan,
   the fifth journalist to be killed in the war-ravaged country in the
   past two months, a provincial spokesman said.

   Bismillah Adil Aimaq was on the road near Feroz Koh, the provincial
   capital of Ghor, returning home to the city after visiting his family
   in a village nearby, when gunmen opened fire at the vehicle.

   According to the provincial governor's spokesman, Arif Abir, others in
   the car, including Aimaq's brother, were unharmed. Aimaq worked as the
   head of the local Radio Sada-e-Ghor station and was also a human rights
   activist in the province.

   No one immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting. Taliban
   spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted the insurgents were in no way
   connected with the shooting.

   Aimaq was the fifth journalist slain in attacks in the past two months.
   Last week, Rahmatullah Nekzad, who headed the journalists' union in
   eastern Ghazni province, was killed in an attack by armed men outside
   his home. Nekzad was well known in the area and had contributed to The
   Associated Press since 2007. He had previously worked for the Al
   Jazeera satellite TV channel.

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