KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Helmand say that the body of a woman has been found in Sangin district of the province.
According to the sources, the body of the woman was discovered yesterday morning (Saturday, May 2) inside a water canal in Sangin district, wrapped in a black shawl.
Sources say that, so far, the identity of the woman and the circumstances of her killing remain unknown.
According to reports, local residents transferred the body to the government hospital in Sangin district after discovering it.
Similarly, about a week earlier, local sources reported that a young man was killed by armed robbers in Lashkargah, the provincial capital. According to the sources, the incident occurred on Friday evening (April 24) in the Bolan area of District 10, when the victim—who had reportedly sold his car—was on his way home with the money.
He was shot by robbers, who then stole the cash. Sources also noted a recent increase in armed robberies in the city, with additional incidents reported, including the theft of a motorcycle and personal belongings from two young men in the Karte Lagan area.
Local Taliban officials in Helmand have not yet commented on these incidents.
In both cases, the attackers had fled the scene, and the motives behind the killings had remained unknown, with no arrests reported.
A report released in March 2026 by the UK-based human rights group Rawadari documented at least 611 cases of targeted, suspicious or extrajudicial killings and injuries across Afghanistan in 2025 — a rise of more than 40% from the previous year. The victims included former government employees, individuals accused of links to opposition groups, protesters, tribal elders and other community figures.
The report also highlighted a sharp increase in arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. At least 2,559 people were unlawfully detained in 2025, more than double 2024’s figure of 885 and four times higher than 2023. Detainees included 138 former government employees, 77 civil society members and human rights defenders, including seven women, and 192 individuals accused of links to opposition groups.
Taliban authorities have repeatedly claimed that they have restored order and enhanced security compared with the period before 2021. However, human rights groups and ordinary Afghans continue to criticize them for failing to protect civilians and for conducting transparent investigations into such crimes.
These incidents comes amid ongoing concerns about insecurity and the lack of transparent investigations into violent crimes in Afghanistan, particularly those involving women, where many cases remain unresolved and unreported.
