The convoy of the UN Afghan envoy came under attack by unknown gunmen in Kabul province, leaving five personnel of the Afghan Directorate of Protection Service, guarding the envoy, dead, TOLOnews reported. No UN personnel was harmed in the incident.

The incident happened on Thursday morning in Sorobi district on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) mourned the loss of life.

“My thoughts and prayers are with families of officers who died offering protection (to) our staff, as they do on so many days,” tweeted Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Secretary General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan must end, he added.

The attack comes at a time when Afghanistan has been witnessing a rise in attacks on journalists, activists, and civil society members. On the same day, Qatbuddin Kohli, a local journalist in Faryab province was shot and wounded by an unknown gunman. 

The journalist is also the leader of the Faryab Journalist Union. No group claimed the attack.

In 2020, eight media personnel, including six journalists, were killed in targeted attacks in Afghanistan. The war-torn country is considered one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.