KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Unknown assailants killed two children and injured another child and their mother in northern Jowzjan province, Taliban authorities said, in the latest reported case of mysterious killings in Afghanistan.
The Taliban security command in Jowzjan said the assailants entered the family home on Saturday night, strangled the children with a rope, and then stabbed them. The victims were three and four years old.
The injured child, a girl, and her mother were transferred to a regional hospital in Balkh province, where their condition remains critical, the command added.
The motive behind the attack is unclear. Taliban authorities did not provide further details.
The incident comes amid rising reports of mysterious and targeted killings across Afghanistan. UK-based rights organization Rawadari reported at least 251 such cases in the past six months, a 30% increase compared with the same period last year, with many allegedly linked to Taliban members or unidentified armed individuals.
The surge in such incidents has raised widespread concern over deteriorating security conditions, despite the Taliban’s repeated claims that they have restored stability since returning to power in 2021.
