Blast near Russian embassy in Kabul kills 6

“Afghan insurgents should respect the right for journalists to operate without fear for their lives from deliberate targeted attacks”, Gossman said.

The Taliban declared the media organization a legitimate “military target” in late 2015.

The attack targeted staff from Afghan broadcaster Tolo TV and video production company Kaboora Productions. Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the USA have called on all Afghan Taliban groups to start talks with Kabul to find a political solution to the long-running conflict in the war-torn country. “If they do not stop their evil activities this will not be the last attack on them”, a Taliban spokesman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

An injured victim from yesterday’s suicide attack near the Russian Embassy, receives treatment at a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016.

The attack was eventually claimed by the Taliban, which said in a statement, as reported by Al Jazeera, that “Kabul resident Faridullah conducted the attack…”

Tolo has also angered the Taliban and other conservatives in Afghanistan by broadcasting foreign soap operas, showing women on television and running talent shows featuring singing and dancing.

According to a second official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, the US military has struck militants identified with IS in Afghanistan in the past, but those strikes were launched on the basis of the fighters’ “hostile intentions” rather than their affiliation with the group’s Afghan organization.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said journalists, as civilians, may never be the object of attack or threats.

“They agreed to focus on the goal of ensuring peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which was both in the interest of Afghanistan and the region.” the statement said.

“Afghan journalists have faced increasing intimidation and violence from both state and non-state figures in recent years”, HRW said. “The United States strongly condemns attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda”. It had threatened to target Tolo over its news coverage of the fighting in Kunduz city in September.