Maharram Durrani

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Journalist Maharram Durrani was killed in a double suicide bomb attack on April 30, 2018, in Kabul, Afghanistan, that left over 25 dead, among them at least nine journalists including Durrani, RFE/RL reported.

Durrani was on her way to training for her new job with the U.S.-funded RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi, when she was killed in the second blast that occurred when the attacker, disguised as a media worker, detonated his explosives in a scrum of reporters, according to media reports and Najib Sharifi, director of the Afghan Journalist Safety Committee.

Kabul police said the bomber deliberately targeted the press.

The extremist group Islamic State issued an online statement the same day that claimed responsibility for the attacks, which also injured at least 45 people, according to The Associated Press.

Durrani was supposed to start her new job on Radio Azadi’s weekly women’s program on May 15, 2015, according to RFE/RL.

The journalist had previously worked as a news anchor with several media outlets in Afghanistan and as a producer for the Afghan online music channel Radio Salam Watandar, according to TOLO News and RFE/RL.

Durrani was also a third-year Islamic law student at Kabul University. When she was asked why she was working in media while studying law, Durrani told RFE/RL during a February 2018 phone-in program that “[the two fields are] very much related because the media can provide information to all people."