Afghan journalist killed in central Ghazni province

An Afghan journalist was shot dead by unknown assailants in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni province on Monday, the fourth to be killed in the war-torn nation in last two months.

Rahmatullah Nekzad was gunned down as he left his home in Ghazni city and was headed towards a mosque, said local police officials and an interior ministry official.

Large parts of Ghazni province are under Taliban control. The hardline group denied involvement in the killing.

“We consider this killing a loss for the country,” said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Islamic State militants, blamed for a series of attacks on a range of targets in Afghanistan in recent months, claimed responsibility for attack on a local journalist earlier this month.

Last month two journalists were killed in separate bombings.

The international press freedom group, Reporters Without Borders, has called Afghanistan one of the world’s deadliest countries for journalists.