Afghanistan violence: Journalist Malala Maiwand shot dead along with her driver

Gunmen shot and killed a female television journalist, who was also a women's rights activist, in Afghanistan on Thursday, an incident that underscores an increasing trend of violence against journalists in the country.

Malalai Maiwand, a reporter at Enikas Radio and TV in Nangarhar, was killed along with her driver in an attack on their vehicle in Jalalabad, capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar, taking the total number of journalists and media workers killed this year in Afghanistan to 10.

"She was on the way to office when the incident happened," Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

The area has been a hotbed of militant activity, most notably involving Islamic State, but no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.