KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A young man was shot dead by unknown assailants in northern Afghanistan’s Jowzjan province on Thursday, highlighting a rising wave of mysterious killings across Afghanistan.
Local sources identified the victim as Nasir, who was killed inside his goldsmith shop in Aqcha district. The motive for the attack remains unclear, and further details about the incident have not been disclosed.
Taliban authorities in the province have not commented on the killing.
The killing comes amid a surge in mysterious and targeted killings across Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Human rights groups have documented numerous cases involving former government officials, activists, and civilians. Many of these killings have been carried out by unidentified armed individuals, while others are allegedly linked to Taliban members.
The UK-based rights organization Rawadari recorded at least 251 extrajudicial and mysterious killings in the first six months of 2025 alone, marking a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The surge in killings has raised concerns about deteriorating security in the country, despite Taliban claims of restored stability since their return to power.
