JOURNALISTS in Afghanistan issued desperate pleas for help today, fearing imminent death at the hands of the Taliban, which has now taken full control of the country.

Mustafa, a senior reporter for the US intelligence-backed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, described being “trapped” along with his family and feeling abandoned by fellow journalists.

“I’m hopelessly stuck in Kabul with my wife and child. Like myself, hundreds of other journalists are also stuck here,” he said on Monday. “I have an 11-month-old daughter. Please pray for her safety.”

Today he said he was still in Afghanistan explaining that for now his family was safe but explained that he was still trapped, with “no evacuation yet.”

He said that the Islamists started door-to-door searches on Monday looking for those who worked for non-governmental organisations or foreign countries.

“At least three journalists’ houses were searched in the last hour. Kabul is now becoming deadly,” he said, adding that “many have started counting their final hours of life.”

Mustafa said that he has received more than 100 requests for interviews since the fall of Kabul, but only a handful have showed solidarity with his situation. While asking to speak to those on the ground is part of a reporter’s job, he said that merely giving an interview can put someone in line for execution.

Last week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) launched a global solidarity campaign as the Taliban offensive was making sweeping gains, shutting down media outlets and threatening journalists.

The fallen government’s media and information centre chief Dawa Khan Minapal was murdered in the capital Kabul earlier this month, while Paktia Ghag radio station manager Toofan Omar was killed by the Islamists on August 8.

IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellenger said it was “a moral duty to support journalists who are working and risking their lives to cover the conflict in Afghanistan.”

Donations can be made to the IFJ fund here.