Akhbar-e-Khyber
June 11, 2011, in Peshawar, Pakistan

Khan, a reporter for the newspaper Akhbar-e-Khyber, died in a double bombing that took the lives of more than three dozen people. The first, small blast went off at a market, drawing a large crowd, including journalists such as Khan who were covering the story. A second, larger explosion, apparently a suicide bomb, went off after a crowd had grown.

Shafiullah Khan, 28, a trainee reporter at the daily The News, died six days later from extensive burn injuries suffered in the attack. Seven other journalists suffered minor injuries.

The attack took place near the city center, in an area where military facilities are concentrated and where many major Pakistani media organizations have their offices. Peshawar is the administrative center for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and runs along the border with Afghanistan. With many insurgent groups based there, the city is notorious for its lack of security.

No group claimed responsibility for the bombings, and it was not clear if journalists or military personnel were the targets. Yousaf Ali, general secretary of the Khyber Union of Journalists, said Khan was in his early 30s and was survived by a sister.

Journalist Nasrullah Khan Afridi died in May 2011 when his car blew up in the same market. An explosive device was detonated remotely after he returned to his vehicle, which was parked in the densely populated shopping area.

Medium:Print
Job:Print Reporter
Beats Covered:Crime, Politics
Gender:Male
Local or Foreign:Local
Freelance:No
Type of Death:Dangerous Assignment
Suspected Source of Fire:Political Group

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