Afghan journalist, wife, 2 children laid to rest

The bodies of Afghan journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife and two children who were killed by Taliban militants in attack on Kabul Serena Hotel on Thursday night were laid to rest on Sunday. In a burial ceremony attended among others by government officials and lawmakers, the speakers besides condemning Taliban attacks on civilians urged the government to bring to justice those behind the barbaric murder of non-combatants. A four-member Taliban insurgent equipped with pistols raided the fortified four-star Kabul Serena Hotel near Afghan Presidential Palace on Thursday night, killing nine persons including AFP journalist Sardar Ahmad, 40, his wife Humira, 33 and his two children Nilofar, 6 and Omar 4. The late Sardar had also run a private news agency Kabul Pressistan over the past three years. Moreover, in the indiscriminate firing of the militants, two- year-old Abozar, the youngest kid of the late journalist Sardar Ahmad received five bullets and since then has been hospitalized in a local hospital in Kabul. Doctors of the hospital said Abozar is in critical condition. In reaction to the brutal attack on the defenseless journalist, Afghan media organizations have decided not to report Taliban activities for 15 days, beginning from Friday.