The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has condemned the killing of a young pregnant woman by two Taliban gunmen, one of whom is reportedly the son of a group’s commander in Ghor province.
According to reports, the incident took place on the night of April 27, when the gunmen entered the victim’s home in the Sadsiyah neighborhood of Firouzkoh city.
The AIHRC statement quoted “reliable sources” as saying that the gunmen intended to sexually assault the 25-year-old woman named Zarmina. When she resisted and shouted, Mulla Quddus, one of the gunmen, shot and killed her.
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This is just one of several reported cases of forced marriage and rape of girls and young women by the Taliban in different parts of Afghanistan. The incident occurred in a context where the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on women, and citizens have been flogged in different parts of the country due to suspicions of extramarital affairs.
The AIHRC has called on the Taliban leaders and spokespersons to respond to the Afghan people and the national and international human rights structures regarding the inhumane approaches of their members.
