A top US diplomat in Afghanistan has said the journalists in Afghanistan bravely face threats posed by the Taliban and other terrorist networks to do their jobs.

In a statement released on the occasion of World press Freedom Day, Ambassador Hugo Llorens said Today we commemorate World Press Freedom Day, an important time to reflect on the critical role of an independent media in nurturing and protecting our freedom of expression and democratic principles.

Ambassador Llorens further added We rely on a free, professional, and responsible press not only to keep us informed, but to shine a light on the hidden darkness of corruption, graft, illegal activity, and to hold our elected leaders accountable.

Journalists around the world live with the constant threat of violence. Here in Afghanistan, journalists bravely face that reality head on by reporting on the Taliban and other terrorist networks that reject the truth and use fear, intimidation, torture, and murder as their currency. These cowards' attempts to create false narratives are challenged daily by an Afghan media that refuses to remain silent, he added.

According to Ambassador Llorens Afghanistan has made significant progress over the last 15 years and one area where I see that every day is the free and independent media.

He said despite the old and tired word of the critics, Afghanistan's media today are arguably the most free and vibrant of any in the region. From one Taliban-controlled radio station in 2001 to nearly 200 independent stations today, Afghanistan now boasts a robust media landscape that includes television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Social media strengthens the reach of traditional media as do citizen journalists who report from every corner of the nation. The Afghan people today enjoy a media landscape in which diverse opinions inform public opinion more so than perhaps any other country in Central Asia.

He also added that a vibrant and independent media are the bedrock of every democratic nation, and we must all work together to protect these institutions. I commend the Government of National Unity for its efforts to better engage with the press. Likewise, the continuing work of the independent Afghan Journalists Safety Committee and other media advocacy groups are critical. While all of us recognize there is always work to be done, continuing engagement on all fronts will ultimately serve the people of Afghanistan.

So, today let us pause to remember those brave members of the media we lost in the past year while celebrating those who fight daily to uncover truth and tell us the stories we would otherwise never know. I call on every Afghan to stand with the brave men and women of the media and recognize their many contributions to democracy and civil society in Afghanistan, he said.