The family of a local businessman in northern Jowzjan province reported that the Taliban fighters killed him in front of his family members in his home on Tuesday.
The victim was identified as Hafizullah Raufi, a 42-year-old businessman from Sheberghan City.
According to a relative, the Taliban had requested that Raufi hand over his brother, who had worked for an organization that supported elections during the previous government and was currently residing in a neighboring country. When Raufi’s brother refused to return to Afghanistan, the Taliban killed the businessman.
The relatives also claimed that the Taliban had killed a nephew of this businessman last year.
Abdul Sattar Halimi, the spokesman for the Taliban security command in Jowzjan, has denied any involvement of their fighters in the murder of Hafizullah Raufi. He claimed that Raufi was killed by unknown assailants and that the group is trying to apprehend the perpetrator.
The Taliban has been widely accused of extrajudicial detention, torture, and killings of citizens of Afghanistan especially former members of the Afghanistan military and government employees.
Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly expressed concern over serious human rights violations against civilians by the Taliban in Afghanistan, which could constitute war crimes.
