BBC Director-General Mark Thompson and Deputy Director-General and Head of BBC Journalism Mark Byford today sent an email to all BBC staff following the death of two journalists who worked for the BBC.
The email reads:
"You may well have heard the shocking and sad news that two journalists who worked for the BBC were killed at the weekend in separate incidents.
"On Saturday, Nasteh Dahir Faraah, who worked for the BBC Somali Service and news agencies, was shot dead in the southern Somali city of Kismayo.
"Yesterday, Sunday, Abdul Samad Rohani, BBC Pashto reporter and fixer of the BBC's News bureau in Kabul in the southern Helmand Province in Afghanistan, was abducted and then shot dead.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with both their families at this terrible time.
"The killings are a stark reminder of the courage and commitment shown by those who work for the BBC's journalism around the world and especially those who work in the most dangerous and difficult areas in order to report for our audiences.
"At 1200 BST midday today (Monday), we would ask everyone who works across BBC Journalism, where they can, to hold a minute's silence in remembrance and solidarity with our two colleagues and their families.
"Of course, others across the BBC, who may want to also demonstrate this act of support and respect, are encouraged to do so.
"Clearly, as well as with the families, our thoughts today are also with their devastated colleagues in the BBC's Somali and Pashto services and the BBC's Newsgathering team in Kabul. We've got teams on the ground in both countries doing everything they can to help."
Links:
[link=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7442772.stm]BBC Afghan reporter is shot dead[/link]
[link=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7442181.stm]Somali BBC contributor shot dead[/link]
