At least 80 journalists were killed this year, with 348 jailed and 60 held hostage, the annual report from Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres) says.

More than half (49) of the journalists killed in 2018 were deliberately targeted, the press freedom group has said.

Afghanistan was the world’s deadliest country for journalists in 2018, with 15 killed. It is followed by Syria, with 11 killed, the report shows.

Mexico was the deadliest country outside a conflict zone, with nine journalists killed this year.

The fatal shooting of five employees of Maryland’s Capital Gazette newspaper in June saw the United States rank among the deadliest countries for journalists.

The number of journalists in jail worldwide this year is also up nearly seven per cent compared to last year.

More than half of them are being held in just five countries: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey.

“Journalists have never before been subjected to as much violence and abusive treatment as in 2018,” RSF warned.

At least 63 professional journalists around the world were killed doing their jobs in 2018, RSF said, a 15 per cent increase on last year.

The number of fatalities rises to 80 when all media workers and citizen journalists are included.