UK media outlets write to PM Johnson urging protection for Afghan journalists

Multiple British media outlets have written an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to protect journalists and those who worked with them in Afghanistan by getting them out of the country following the Taliban takeover.

“Now, the Taliban has arrived in Kabul and our colleagues are trapped there. With evacuation flights resuming, we need you to act on your promise to protect those who worked with journalists and get them to safety outside Afghanistan,” the news outlets wrote in the joint letter.

“Given the threats to the safety of Afghan journalists, we ask the British government to urgently take these steps to protect our colleagues,” the letter added.

The letter was written on behalf of outlets including The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Economist, The Guardian, The Sun and Sky News.

Britain is working with the Taliban in Kabul on a “tactical, practical level” to evacuate citizens and eligible Afghans, Britain’s ambassador to Afghanistan said on Wednesday, August 18, adding that the evacuation program would last days, not weeks.

The US-backed Afghan government collapsed over the weekend in an upheaval that sent thousands of civilians and Afghan military allies fleeing for their safety. Many fear a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago. – Rappler.com