KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Paktia say that the body of a former employee of the provincial Department of Justice, identified as “Sharafuddin,” has been found four months after he was abducted.
According to the sources, the body of the former employee was discovered on Saturday (May 30) in the Fourth Police District of Gardez city.
Sources say that Sharafuddin, 35, had been abducted from his home four months ago, and signs of gunshot wounds and stab wounds were visible on his body.
According to reports, he had served as the General Director of Coordination at the Paktia Department of Justice during the previous Afghan government, but the Taliban removed him from the position in 2023.
Local Taliban authorities in Paktia have not yet commented on the abduction and killing of the former justice employee, and the motive and perpetrators of the killing remain unknown.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, targeted killings of former government officials and security personnel have continued in various provinces across the country.
According to United Nations reports, some of these killings have been carried out by Taliban forces and individuals affiliated with the Taliban.
Despite claims of a general amnesty,the Taliban continue to arrest, torture, and kill former government officials and soldiers in Afghanistan.
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.
UNAMA said Taliban authorities have also targeted former officials and soldiers returning from Iran. On September 29, the group’s counter-terrorism unit in Faryab province arrested several former security personnel shortly after their return, with no clear charges against them.
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.
