KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Khalid Zadran, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Security Command in Kabul, has confirmed that four people were killed as a result of an armed clash near Sarai Shahzada.
The spokesperson for the Taliban’s Security Command in Kabul said that the clash took place today (Sunday, May 24) in a jewelry market near Sarai Shahzada.
He added that among the dead were Ehsanullah Mujahid, the son of former Afghan Parliament member Allah Gul Mujahid, his bodyguard, and a woman.
The spokesperson for the Taliban’s Security Command said that the clash was the result of a “personal feud” and that a “wounded attacker” and a member of Allah Gul Mujahid’s family have been arrested on charges of involvement in the incident.
Sarai Shahzada is the main currency exchange market in Kabul, and around it there are also several jewelry shops and other currency markets.
Since taking power in 2021, the group has repeatedly claimed it has restored security across the country. However, a recent United Nations report by Secretary-General António Guterres highlights a continued deterioration in Afghanistan’s security situation under Taliban rule, with rising violence, cross-border tensions, and ongoing human rights concerns.
According to the report, 2,660 security-related incidents were recorded across Afghanistan between 1 November 2025 and 31 January 2026, representing a 27.8 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.
The United Nations noted that armed opposition groups, including the Afghanistan Freedom Front and the National Resistance Front, carried out dozens of attacks against Taliban positions across multiple provinces such as Kabul, Panjshir, Herat, Balkh, and Kandahar. These attacks included rocket strikes, grenade explosions, and targeted assaults on checkpoints and convoys.
The UN raised serious concerns about human rights violations, including at least 12 extrajudicial killings of former Afghan government officials and security personnel, along with dozens of arbitrary detentions and reported cases of torture. Some victims were individuals who had recently returned from neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan.
In addition, UNAMA documented at least 336 arbitrary arrests and detentions, along with 59 instances of ill-treatment, primarily linked to dress code enforcement, trimmed beards or Western-style haircuts for men, playing or listening to music, and observance of Valentine’s Day.
The report also highlights the humanitarian impact of ongoing border clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan. At least 24 civilians were killed and 26 others wounded during fighting between the two sides. Most of these casualties were caused by cross-border shelling and air strikes in the provinces of Khost, Kandahar, Paktika, Nangarhar and Kunar.
These developments point to a broader pattern of persistent insecurity, targeted violence, and political tensions, particularly in urban and economically important locations, where both criminal disputes and politically motivated attacks continue to occur despite Taliban assurances of control.
