According to a report in Tolo News, two popular radio stations in Afghanistan’s Paktia and Faryab provinces went off the air last week due to acute financial problems.

Radio Paktia Ghag broadcast for 11 years in the southeastern province of Paktia, and Radio Maimana also broadcast for 10 years in the northern province of Faryab.

“We used to have around 40 employees, men and women,” said Zabiullah Ayoubi, director of Paktia Ghag, while speaking to Tolo News.

Adibullah Sonmas, head of the Maimana radio station, said they were no longer in a position to renew their license.

Journalist Farkhunda Mehbi said the closure of media outlets had caused problems both for the people and workers, because without the media, there will be no one to raise the voice of the people.

Hujatullah Mujaddedi, a member of the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA), hoped the Islamic Emirate would help the struggling Afghan media.

Since the Taliban took over the country’s government last August, dozens of media outlets have stopped activities.

Afghanistan was ranked 122nd out of 180 countries in RSF’s latest World Press Freedom Index.