KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Sources in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Province say Taliban members shot and killed a civilian in the district of Anaba District on Wednesday night (25 February).
According to a local source, the victim was identified as Abdul Saboor Sarwari, a resident of the Zamankor area of Anaba district. Some sources said he had previously been a local commander during the war against Soviet forces and during the Taliban’s first period of rule.
The source said Sarwari was killed at around 10:00 pm on Wednesday (25 February) while working on his farmland. He had reportedly been working at night after breaking his fast and had informed Taliban members in advance, receiving their permission to do so.
Family members told local sources that they retrieved his body after hearing gunshots late at night. According to the sources, he was shot twice in the head.
Residents said Taliban forces cordoned off the area following the shooting and prevented people from leaving their homes until morning.
Local sources added that Taliban members have denied involvement in the killing, saying they are not aware of who carried it out.
Relatives of the victim say he had no known personal disputes or enmities.
The Taliban have previously been accused of civilian killings in Panjshir, where their presence remains heavy. Residents say the group has imposed strict restrictions across the province.
Panjshir, north of Kabul, is a stronghold for two anti-Taliban groups: The National Resistance Front (NRF) and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF). The province has seen harsh collective punishments by the Taliban over the past four years, with hundreds of residents detained, tortured, or killed, often accused of supporting armed groups or possessing weapons.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, say the Taliban’s actions in Panjshir amount to war crimes, citing widespread abuses such as arbitrary detentions and restrictions on civilians.
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have repeatedly detained and imprisoned former members of the security forces in Panjshir and other provinces.
The group has also been widely accused of extrajudicial killings and torture of former government officials and security personnel.
