KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Daikundi province, in central Afghanistan, say a young woman was killed by her former husband in Miramor district on Monday.
A local source told KabulNow that the incident occurred Monday morning, August 24, in the Iskan area of Miramor district. The victim was identified as Shakila, approximately 25 years old, while her former husband, Rahmat, around 35, has been identified as the main suspect.
According to the source, Shakila was traveling by motorcycle with her brother and mother toward the Miramor district center when they were stopped by her former husband on the way. The source said Rahmat shot Shakila in the head with a shotgun-type weapon at the Iskan-Kopaj mountain pass.
Following the killing, the suspect reportedly traveled toward Tagab, the center of Miramor district. It remains unclear whether he has surrendered to the Taliban authorities.
Shakila and her family were reportedly traveling to the district center to pursue a legal claim for her Mahr (dowry), after she had recently demanded $12,000 from her former husband.
A source familiar with the case said Shakila and Rahmat had lived in Kabul for several years. While Rahmat was in the United States, Shakila continued to live in Kabul with their two sons, who are approximately seven and five years old.
The couple separated several months ago following a family dispute and an allegation that was later determined to be unfounded.
According to the source, while Rahmat was in the United States, his family accused Shakila of having a relationship with another man. Following a complaint to the Taliban, both Shakila and the man were arrested and imprisoned in Kabul.
Within less than two months, the man and then Shakila were found not guilty by a Taliban provincial court in Kabul and released from prison.
The former couple had recently returned to Miramor, where both families live. Shakila and Rahmat were also maternal cousins and had married approximately 10 years ago.
The source said Rahmat holds U.S. residency and had returned to Afghanistan in connection with the family dispute.
After her release from prison and return to Miramor, Shakila filed a new case at the district center seeking payment of her dowry. Following several legal proceedings, she and Rahmat were scheduled to appear at the district center on Monday, where a judge at the primary court was expected to issue a ruling.
Shakila’s body, bearing multiple gunshot wounds, has been transferred to a local hospital in Iskan for medical examination. Her family has also contacted the Miramor district authorities and requested that a delegation be sent to investigate the case.
The reported killing comes a day after a similar case was reported in northern Afghanistan. On August 23, a local source in Sar-e-Pul province said a Taliban member in Sozma Qala district had allegedly shot and killed his 18-year-old wife, whom he had reportedly forced into marriage two months earlier.
The killings highlight the continuing risks faced by women in Afghanistan amid domestic and family disputes. Afghanistan has long had one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, a problem that rights groups say has intensified since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
All women’s protection centers and shelters that existed under the previous government have been shut down. Access to legal recourse and institutional support for victims of abuse has been severely limited, leaving many women and girls more vulnerable.
Women’s rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about violence against women, limited access to effective legal protection, and the difficulties women face in pursuing rights related to marriage, divorce and dowry.
