KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A young man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in eastern Nangarhar province, local sources said, amid a sharp rise in mysterious killings across Afghanistan.
The victim, identified as Ebrahim, was gunned down near his home in Khogyani district on Wednesday night, August 27. Sources said he worked in livestock trading and had no known personal disputes.
Local Taliban authorities have confirmed the killing. Sayed Tayeb Hamad, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Nangarhar, said an investigation has been launched to identify the perpetrators and uncover the motive.
The killing comes amid a sharp rise in mysterious deaths in Nangarhar province. Just this week, two similar killings were reported in Haska Mina and Pachiragam districts. Last week, six members of a single family, including women and children, were killed in the Surkh Rod district.
Nationwide, the wave of violence appears to be worsening. Data gathered by Etilaatroz and KabulNow shows that at least 60 people, including women, were killed under unclear circumstances in July alone. Most of those cases remain unsolved, with no group or individual claiming responsibility.
Rights groups have accused the Taliban of failing to protect civilians and properly investigate crimes, despite the group’s repeated claims of restoring security since returning to power in 2021.
