KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Unknown armed men abducted a dermatology specialist, Dr. Mohammad Dawood Hoshmand, in Kabul on Tuesday night, local sources said, as violent crimes, including kidnappings, continue to rise across Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
According to the sources, the incident occurred in the Khwaja Boghra neighborhood of the capital while Dr. Hoshmand was returning home from his private clinic.
Family members and relatives have received no information about his whereabouts or condition since the abduction, the sources added.
Taliban authorities have not commented on the incident.
The abduction is the second such case reported this week. On Sunday, a two-and-a-half-year-old child was abducted in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province. Local sources said the child was taken by a woman wearing a burqa, and the child’s whereabouts remain unknown
Afghanistan has seen a surge in violent crimes in recent years, including abductions, armed robberies, targeted killings, and mysterious deaths. The Taliban, who regained power in 2021 and claim to have restored nationwide security, face criticism from citizens, rights groups, and activists over civilian protection and transparency in crime investigations.
