KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The beheaded body of a former local police officer has been discovered in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, local sources reported.
Sources identified the victim as Waliullah, who went missing from Kandahar’s Aino Mena area three days ago and was found dead in the same area on Tuesday, April 1.
According to the sources, Waliullah was abducted by unidentified individuals before being killed.
The motive and those responsible for the murder remain unclear. Local Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
The killing comes amid a surge in mysterious murders and criminal activities across Afghanistan in recent years. Many citizens have expressed growing concerns about security, despite the Taliban’s claims of maintaining order since their return to power.
Former government employees, especially members of the security forces, have been particularly vulnerable to such attacks. The Taliban have faced widespread accusations of carrying out revenge killings against former security personnel, despite their pledges of amnesty.
Since Taliban’s return to power, hundreds of former government officials, security personnel, and civilians have been detained, tortured, killed, or have disappeared across Afghanistan.
In his latest report to the UN Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres documented at least five killings, 14 arbitrary arrests, and four cases of torture involving former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) personnel between August and October 2024.
The UN and human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the Taliban for alleged acts of retaliation and have called for the protection of all Afghan citizens, including former security personnel.
