Three people were killed in separate incidents in the eastern Nangarhar and southern Zabul provinces on Friday amid a surge in murders, local sources said.
In the first incident, a bakery owner named Mohammad Aref was shot dead by unknown assailants in the Kuz Kunar district of Nangarhar, according to a local resident. The motive behind the killing is unclear.
In another incident, the body of a man was discovered near the border of the Heska-Mina and Rodat districts in Nangarhar. One source on the condition of anonymity revealed that the victim’s hands were severed before being brutally shot dead.
The local Taliban officials in Nangarhar have not commented on either of the incidents.
A third incident took place in the Jaldak district of Zabul when an elderly man shot dead his 30-year-old son following a heated verbal exchange between the two. The perpetrator, identified as Ali Mohammad, has been detained by the Taliban security officials in the province.
The circumstances leading to the violent argument and subsequent killing remain unclear.
The surge in murders, often attributed to “mysterious” killings across the country has raised concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan. The Taliban has been struggling to maintain law and order since it took control of the country in August 2021.