KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A young man was shot dead by unknown assailants at his home in northern Samangan province on Saturday, local sources confirmed.
The victim, identified as Mohammad Hasan, was an athlete. He was gunned down while leaving his residence in the Shahr-e-Qadim area of Police District 3 in Aybak, the provincial capital.
Sources say Hasan was the captain of his local football team in Samangan.
The motive behind the killing and the identities of the perpetrators remain unknown.
Taliban security officials in Samangan have yet to comment on the incident.
Earlier, Akbar Niazi, a prominent tribal elder in the province, was abducted and later killed by unknown gunmen.
These incidents come amid a troubling surge in mysterious killings and criminal activity across Afghanistan. Over the past week, at least seven similar deaths have been reported, including the killings of two children—a five-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy.
The Taliban, who claim to have restored nationwide security since their return to power, are facing growing criticism from citizens, rights groups, and activists for failing to protect civilians and for a lack of transparency in investigating such incidents.
