The 25-year -old female TV anchor for Enkaas TV and Radio, was killed by gunmen in a targeted attack in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan.
The assailants opened fire on Malala Maiwand's car as she left to travel to work in Jalalabad from her home in eastern Nangarhar province. Both Malala and her driver, Mohammad Tahir, were killed. Following the shooting, the assailants fled the scene. The Islamic State (IS) subsequently claimed responsibility for the shooting, accusing her of being a “pro-regime” journalist. Nangarhar is for IS militant activity and the group claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks on civilians in the area.
Tragically, Malala’s murder happened on the last day of the UN global annual 16 days of activism campaign against violence against women. Known as a women’s rights activist, Malala had previously delivered a speech about the challenges for female journalists in Afghanistan.