World media body condemns killing of Sri Lankan journalist

Brussels, Oct 7 (IANS) The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the killing of Sri Lankan television journalist Rashmi Mohamed who died in a bombing Monday in that country, EuAsiaNews reported.

Mohamed died in a massive suicide blast carried out by militants at the opening ceremony of the new office of Sri Lanka's United National Party (UNP) in Sri Lanka's northern city of Anuradhapura. At least 25 people were killed and scores injured in the explosion.

'Once again indiscriminate terrorist violence has claimed a journalists' life and that of innocent civilians,' said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White.

'Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in the world and they are all too often targeted or part of the collateral damage of the country's violent conflict,' he noted in a statement.

Mohamed is the second journalist killed in Sri Lanka this year. In May, Paranirupasingam Devakumar, 36, was hacked to death in Navanthurei by unidentified attackers while returning from Jaffna town.

The Brussels-based IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide.