KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A former soldier was shot and killed by unknown armed men in Wama district of eastern Nuristan province, local sources reported.
The victim, identified as Yahya, was killed on Friday, May 30, in the Pokona area of the district.
The motive behind the killing and those responsible remain unclear.
The Taliban police command in Nuristan confirmed the incident and said efforts are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators.
This incident occurred amid a growing number of mysterious killings and criminal cases reported across Afghanistan in recent years. Since the beginning of May, at least eight similar cases have been reported, including the deaths of a former soldier and two young children.
Despite claims by the Taliban of restoring nationwide security, rights groups and Afghan citizens have criticized the authorities for failing to protect civilians and for the lack of transparency in their investigations.
Human rights organizations have also accused the Taliban of widespread abuses since their return to power in 2021, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions of former government officials and security personnel.
In its latest report, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented at least six killings and 23 arbitrary detentions of former Afghan security forces between January and March 2025.
