News Center- The National Union of Journalists (NUJ), a trade union for journalists in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have condemned the killings of journalists Gulistan Tara and Hero Bahadin on 23 August, said the statement released by the NUJ on Tuesday.

Call for an immediate investigation

“The NUJ joins the IFJ in urging authorities of Türkiye and Iraq to launch an immediate investigation ensuring perpetrators responsible are held accountable,” the statement said. The drone attack is not the first targeting journalists in the Kurdistan region, and has been described by Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, as reflecting, “The extreme dangers faced by journalists working in conflict zones and highlights the urgent need for immediate measures to ensure their safety and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable.”

On 8 July, a Çira TV media crew was bombed in a drone attack in Sinjar, northern Iraq resulting in serious injuries to journalist Murad Mirza Ibrahim, who died of his injuries three days later. Journalist Mydia Hussen was injured in the same attack.

“The NUJ and IFJ affiliate Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, call on authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the women journalists’ deaths. Journalists must be able to report safely and the NUJ urges both Iraqi and Turkish authorities to ensure their protection.”