Journalist Abdul Ghafor Abed killed in clash along Afghanistan-Pakistan border

New York, October 16, 2025—Taliban authorities and the Pakistan government must immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of Afghan journalist Abdul Ghafor Abed and ensure that journalists covering conflict zones are protected in line with international law, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

Abed, a provincial reporter for Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), was killed on October 15 while covering clashes between Taliban and Pakistani security forces in Zazai Maidan district, in the eastern border province of Khost, according to media reports and a statement from his employer. Tawab Arman, a broadcast manager at RTA, was also injured in the incident.

“Taliban and Pakistan authorities must thoroughly investigate the circumstances of Abed’s death so that those responsible can be brought to justice,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia-Pacific Director. “Journalists reporting from conflict zones are protected as civilians under international law.”

Mustaghfar Grubaz, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s police command in Khost, said the RTA journalists were targeted by Pakistani forces while reporting on the fighting.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Taliban Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat did not immediately respond to CPJ’s text messages seeking comment.

Abed and Arman were deployed to Khost from Paktika province to cover clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan forces, RTA said. Dozens of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the cross-border fighting, the worst flare up violence between the neighbors since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Over the weekend, Taliban officials said they launched attacks on Pakistani military outposts in retaliation for what they claimed were Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul on October 9. Both sides declared a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday.