A total of 45 journalists were killed worldwide in 2021, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Friday -- "one of the lowest death tolls" it has recorded for any year.

The figure tracked closely with a toll of 46 killings of journalists given two weeks ago by another media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (known by its initials RSF).

The toll included 9 in Afghanistan, the highest number suffered by a single country. Elsewhere, 8 died in Mexico, 4 in India and three in Pakistan.

The IFJ said the media workers "more often than not are killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries".

According to the group's count, the Asia-Pacific region -- which includes Afghanistan -- was the deadliest, with 20 killings. Then came the Americas, with 10, Africa, with eight, Europe with six, and the Middle East and Arab countries with just one. It also mentioned the death of two journalists in a "deadly accident" in Iran.

The IFJ's figures differed slightly from those given by RSF, which counted 7 journalists killed in Mexico, 6 in Afghanistan, and 4 each in Yemen and India.