Mir Wahed Shah, an economics reporter at the privately-owned broadcaster Khurshid TV, was killed when a bomb targeted a Khurshid TV van, according to news reports. Shafiq Amiri, a technician with Khurshid TV, was also killed in the blast, and six employees were injured, TOLO News reported.
The van was about two miles from the office and was transporting staff home, Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar, director of Nai, a local press advocacy group, told CPJ. Shah was among 15 employees in the van at the time of explosion, according to those reports.
It is unclear whether the explosion was caused by a roadside bomb or a device attached to the vehicle, Khalvatgar told CPJ.
Marwa Amini, an Interior Ministry spokesperson, said authorities believe the van was specifically targeted, according to Al-Jazeera.
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters. In a statement on an Islamic State-affiliated website, the group said the station was “loyal to the Afghan apostate government,” according to Al-Jazeera.
Khurshid TV editor Rafi Seddiqi told TOLO News that the broadcaster had not received any recent threats.