Kabul, Jul 18 (IANS): Eleven Afghan journalists and media workers have been killed in the first half of the year amid deteriorating security, an independent media safety group said on Wednesday.

"The first six months of 2018 was the bloodiest reporting period for journalists and the media community in Afghanistan. About 89 cases of violence and intimidation were reported, 11 of which involved the killing of journalists," Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC) told Xinhua news agency.

A group of nine reporters were killed on April 30 in a suicide bombing while they were covering a terrorist attack at a diplomatic district. The attack was later claimed by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

Two other journalists were shot dead in southern Kandahar and eastern Khost provinces in the same month.

The press safety group also expressed concern over the continuation and expansion of violence and threats to Afghan journalists posed by terrorist groups, particularly Taliban and IS affiliates.

"The intensity and scale of violence has been unprecedented during this period of 2018," AJSC added.