KABUL – Two teenagers were killed after being abducted in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, local sources said.
In Helmand, kidnappers abducted a 15-year-old boy named Zubair Ahmad from Lashkargah city and later killed him in Sangin district. A relative said Zubair, a student at a private school, was taken 10 days ago while returning home. His body was discovered on Wednesday, September 10, in a well.
According to the relative, the abductors had demanded $150,000 from the family, but when the money could not be paid, they killed him. Zubair’s father, Abdul Khaliq, is a businessman in Lashkargah. Taliban security officials in Helmand have not commented on the case.
In Kandahar, a 12-year-old boy named Mohammad was abducted several days ago in Police District 7 and later found dead on Tuesday, September 9, in a well near the Ettehad Jame Mosque. His father runs a small business in Kandahar city. Taliban officials have not issued any statement on the incident.
Earlier this week, another child named Owais was kidnapped and murdered in Nari district of Kunar province, making this the third child abduction and killing reported within days.
Despite Taliban claims of restoring law and order, violent crime—including kidnappings, robberies, and targeted killings—continues to rise across Afghanistan. Residents say the worsening security situation is compounded by mass unemployment, economic collapse, and lack of effective law enforcement, leaving families vulnerable to criminal gangs and armed groups.
Community leaders warn that the continuing wave of abductions and murders underscores the Taliban’s inability to provide the stability and protection they promised when seizing power.
