New York — The Committee to Protect journalists calls on Sudanese authorities to investigate and hold to account those responsible for killing the journalist Khalid Balal and urges all parties to the conflict to respect members of the press.

"We are shocked by the brutal killing of journalist Khalid Balal in his own home by armed combatants," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour from Washington, D.C. "We urge the Sudanese authorities to promptly investigate Balal's killing and ensure justice for this crime. All parties to the war in Sudan must respect journalists' safety and cease killing members of the press who are civilians."

On March 1, armed soldiers in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, shot and killed Balal, media director at the Sudanese government's Supreme Council for Media and Culture, inside his home, according to news reports and two local journalists, who spoke with CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal. Balal was also a member of the local trade union, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, according to those sources.

CPJ was unable to determine which armed group was responsible for Balal's killing.

Sudan plunged into chaos in April when clashes erupted in the capital, Khartoum, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a paramilitary group known as Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The two local journalists attributed Balal's death to his long career in journalism. The journalists did not provide further details to CPJ, which will continue to investigate the circumstances of Balal's death.

CPJ's emails to the SAF and the RSF requesting comment on Balal's death did not receive any replies.