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On September 5 Taliban  terrorist forces killed Fahim Dashty with support from Pakistani forces, a heroic journalist who died defending his homeland against the terrorist Taliban. The top commander of the front, General Sahib Abdul Wadood, was also killed in the attack. Fahim was the editor of Kabul Weekly and worked hard for freedom of speech. When Taliban invaded Afghanistan, he joined the National resistance front Afghanistan . It is being seen as a major blow to the NRF chief Ahmed Masood as both of them were close and trusted to him. There are speculations making rounds on social media platforms that Fahim’s location may have been leaked due to a mistake of BBC. 

   People are blaming the BBC for leaking the satellite number of Fahim, which could have been traced by the Taliban, resulting in the drone attack on Panjshir. As per reports, Fahim was giving an interview to the BBC when the screen suddenly stopped showing the video on Fahim and flashed a satellite number which is believed to be of Fahim’s. Zalmai Nishat, a policy expert, tweeted that while he was watching Fahim’s interview on BBC Persia, the connection was cut, and his satellite mobile number was flashed on the screen.

I was watching an interview of @FahimDashty with @bbcpersian. At one point the former#39s video disappeared. Instead, his satellite phone number was displayed on the screen. The BCC failed to ensure its anonymity. There are allegations that a drone traced has him via this number: pic.twitter.com/oI7mANuVuP

Zalmai Nishat (@ZalNishat) September 5, 2021

Highly possible. The way media is going pro-Taliban, Pro Pakistan shows the connection. This is very much similar to what Barkha Dutt did during Kargil War, this needs to be consumed as a crime, otherwise, the media will keep doing this.@BBCWorld shame https://t.co/lIHAmExkqh

AgnosticExploring (@aimingforlight) September 7, 2021

 
    Institute for World Affairs & Security said, “Fahim Dashty was interviewed by BBC. Network issue led to loss of connection, Fahim’s satellite phone number appeared on screen. Did the drone that killed him trace him using this no.? Is BBC responsible? Fahim-Afghan journalist fighting for his home against Taliban in Panjshir.”
 

TAG  Fahim Dashty, Mohammad Fahim Dashty, Taliban forces killed Fahim Dashty, Fahim Dashty is a heroic journalist and worked hard for freedom of speech, Taliban , Afghanistan, Kabul, Panjshir province,Panjshir ,Northern Alliance,Afghanistan National Journalist Union , ANJU, Federation for Afghan Journalists, National Resistance Front, Afghan Journalists and Media Entities ,Ahmad Shah Massoud,  Ahmad Massoud , Amrullah Saleh, BBC 

  It is being alleged that the number was used to trace Fahim leading to the deadly attack. People are blaming BBC for the mistake and Fahim’s death.

Notably, Fahim had said during the interview that NRF had no intentions to form a government with the Taliban. He made it clear that NRF fighters would lay down their lives for the future of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, people are angry on BBC. A Twitter user,  wrote, “This is a serious war crime, and the BBC should be charged for this.” Another user siad alleged that BBC deliberately did this.

             The 48-year-old former chief executive of ANJU had recently taken up the role as the chief spokesperson for NRFA and had joined forces in the north-eastern Panjshir province. He was killed in the Dashtak area of ​​Anaba district along with NRFA’s General Abdul Wodo Zara, the nephew of Panjshir resistance leader Ahmad Massoud – almost 20 years to the day he nearly lost his life in a suicide attack.  

Born around 1973, Dashty was the nephew of Afghan politician, Abdullah Abdullah, and a close associate of the family of the Northern Alliance leader, Ahmad Shah Massoud. He was with Massoud when the latter was killed by a suicide bombing on 9 September 2001. He was badly wounded in the bombing.

After the United States invasion of Afghanistan, he founded a newspaper based at Kabul and became known for supporting journalists and advocating freedom of speech in Afghanistan. He was a leader of the Afghanistan National Journalist Union (ANJU) as well as a key figure in the Federation for "Afghan Journalists and Media Entities", founded in 2012. In addition, he contributed to the South Asia Press Freedom Report.

In 2021, following the takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban, Dashty joined the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan as a spokesperson. Beforehand, he had reportedly refused offers of a government post by the Taliban. Dashty was one of the main sources of information in the Panjshir Valley as the Taliban pressed in, issuing statements on Twitter. Shortly before his death, he stated "If we die in the resistance, it is a win for us, history will write about us, as people who stood for their country till the end of the line," says Fahim Dashty, Official Spokesperson, National Resistance Front of  Afghanistan.Siad this to one media. On  or 5 September 2021, Dashty was killed in combat during the Taliban offensive into Panjshir. His death was confirmed by his friend Noor Rahman Akhlaqi on Facebook as well as other sources. The Taliban claimed that he had died as they had advanced into Bazarak, capital of the Panjshir Province.In contrast, the International Federation of Journalists stated that he had died alongside General Abdul Wodo Zara at Dashtak, Anaba District. According to unspecified sources and defense analyst Babak Taghvaee, Dashty was killed by a Pakistani drone strike during the fighting. It is reported that he had refused the offer of joining the government with the Taliban. 

After his death, former colleagues, associates, and organizations like the ANJU, Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association (AIJA), and the International Federation of Journalists relased eulogies in his honor.

The Panjshir Valley lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, approximately 90 miles (145km) north of Kabul and has been mostly safe from Taliban forces due to its mountainous terrain. The Taliban said on September 6 that the group had "completely captured" Panjshir, the last stronghold in Afghanistan against the hardline Islamist group, after days of fighting.

Dashti was known as a powerful champion for a free media and a key voice in the collective of journalists, the Federation for Afghan Journalists and Media Entities established since 2012. On September 9, 2001, he was badly injured in an al-Qaeda suicide bombing along with anti-Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah Massoud. His son, Ahmad Massoud now leads the NRFA.

Dashti founded a newspaper in Kabul after the US-led invasion in 2001 and provided regular updates on Twitter on the conflict in Afghanistan right up to his death. He was also a contributor to the IFJ’s South Asia Press Freedom Report and had been instrumental in recently leading ANJU’s successful bid to join the IFJ as an affiliate member in 2021.

The ANJU said: “With great sorrow and regret, one of the prominent figures of the Afghan press family and a well-known man of the country passed away forever. Fahim Dashti has been active, effective and successful in the field of journalism for nearly three decades in difficult conditions.”

ANJU said Dashti worked with the union for eight years as its executive director and general director and did significant work for the family of the Afghan press.

The board of directors of ANJU said : “ It expresses its condolences for the martyrdom of Fahim Dashti, former president of ANJU and one of the best Afghan press families in the country in the last three decades. We deliver our condolences for his family and the family of the Afghan press.”

An IFJ affiliate leader in exile told IFJ: “Fahim was a good friend and strong colleague struggling with us closely to fight for press freedom and freedom of expression in the past 21 years. We had a difficult time to protect journalists’ rights. It is shocking and sad news, a big loss for all of us.”

AIJA described Fahim Dashti as one of the best journalists and defenders of journalists in the country in the last 30 years.

It said: “AIJA considered Mr Fahim Dashti a wise journalist, with good morals and very patient in the face of professional problems. His absence is a great loss to the Afghan media community and is will be impossible to fill his place.”

IFJ general secretary, Anthony Bellanger said: “The IFJ mourns the loss of Fahim Dashti as a brave voice, a fighter for press freedom and mentor to many. His death is a great loss for both the Afghanistan and international journalist community. It is indeed a sad day.”

He was a servant of his people & loyal to the political path he had chosen. @FahimDashty was injured on 7/11 in which the National Hero of Afghanistan was assassinated by two Al-Qaida/Taliban suicide bombers. Also, he was an outstanding journalist. He was hit by a drone yesterday https://t.co/lAhVs8cpZ7

— Zalmai Nishat (@ZalNishat) September 6, 2021