KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s security command in Nuristan province says a 42-year-old man named Juma Khan has been shot dead in Mandol district of the province.
Hassan Saqib, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s security command in Nuristan, said the incident occurred on Sunday, August 30, in the village of Anish in Mandol district.
The Taliban official attributed the killing to a 14-year-old feud between two families.
He added that a man identified as Faridullah has been arrested in connection with the killing.
Killings have been reported in various parts of Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. While perpetrators are identified in some cases, many killings are attributed to unidentified armed individuals, and the Taliban rarely report the identification and punishment of those responsible.
Family feuds and blood disputes have long been a source of violence in parts of Afghanistan, often stemming from disagreements over land and water, family conflicts, personal honour, or previous acts of violence.
Family and blood feuds have long been a source of violence in Afghanistan, particularly among Pashtun communities in the south, east and southeast. According to the Afghanistan Analysts Network, such feuds are rooted in customary practices and concepts of honour and revenge, and can lead to prolonged cycles of retaliation between families.
However, the network’s research in Khost province found that new blood feuds have become less common in recent decades, while tribal elders, youth and jirgas have increasingly played a role in mediating disputes and preventing further violence.
The report, based on interviews conducted between October 2024 and March 2025, also found that many older feuds remain unresolved despite becoming less violent over time.
