Journalist shot dead in Afghanistan

An Afghan journalist was shot dead in the country's Nangarhar province, an official said on Saturday.

Mohammad Zubair Khaksar was killed after unidentified gunmen fired on his vehicle in Surkh Rod district Friday night, Xinhua quoted the provincial government as saying in a statement.

Khaksar, a well known poet, was working as a journalist in the government-run Afghanistan National Radio and Television Network, he said.

Nangarhar Governor Kandozai condemned the attack, the statement said, adding that local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier in January, seven media workers of a private TV channel were killed and 24 injured after a Taliban suicide car bomber struck a minibus in Kabul.