KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A former police officer was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Kabul on Sunday, as targeted attacks on former security personnel continue despite Taliban claims of enhanced security and a general amnesty.
The victim was identified by local sources as Mujib-ul-Rahman Hazrati, originally from Panjshir province. He was killed in the Khair Khana neighborhood of the capital when two assailants on a motorcycle opened fire and fled the scene.
Taliban authorities have not commented on the incident.
The killing is the latest in a series of similar attacks reported across Afghanistan in recent weeks and months, including mysterious shootings and criminal cases targeting former members of the Afghan security forces.
Rights groups and citizens have criticized the Taliban for failing to provide protection and for a lack of transparency in investigations, despite claims by the authorities of restored nationwide security.
The UN and human rights groups have also documented widespread abuses by the Taliban since 2021, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions of former government officials and security personnel.
In its latest report to the UN Security Council, presented in early 2026, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented at least 14 killings and 28 arbitrary detentions of former Afghan security forces members between October and December 2025, along with cases of torture and ill-treatment.
