KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Sources in Herat have confirmed that a young man was shot and killed near the Taliban police headquarters in the western Afghan province.
The victim, identified as Noman, was the son of Abdul Rahman Moradi, a former member of the Herat Provincial Council. Moradi himself was killed at his home two years ago.
According to sources, Noman and his mother had previously been arrested on allegations of involvement in Moradi’s killing. Noman was later acquitted of the charge. His mother, however, was shot dead inside a Taliban court in Herat in October last year.
Sources said Noman had gone to the Taliban police headquarters in Herat on Monday, August 10, to follow up on his case. Shortly after leaving the building, he was shot by unidentified gunmen just a few meters from the police headquarters.
The motive for the killing and the identities of those responsible remain unclear. Taliban authorities in Herat have not yet commented on the incident.
Abdul Rahman Moradi, a former member of the Herat Provincial Council, was killed at his home on January 10, 2025, in the fifth district of Herat city.
At the time, his death was initially described as an accidental shooting while he was cleaning a firearm. Taliban authorities later arrested his wife and son on suspicion of killing him.
Moradi’s wife was shot dead on October 27, 2025, after a Taliban appellate court hearing, in the courtyard of the court in Herat.
Sources said at the time that the Taliban court had acquitted her and that she was killed after her release by Moradi’s brother.
The woman had previously said that her husband had died by suicide and that he had been under pressure from his father.
Moradi’s father, Sher Ahmad Khan Alizai, popularly known as “Arbab Shiro,” is a prominent local figure in Herat.
The killing comes amid a broader rise in unexplained and targeted killings across Afghanistan. On Sunday, an unidentified gunman shot and killed Abdul Khanan, a young doctor, outside Paktia Regional Hospital in Gardez, according to Taliban authorities. The motive for the killing and the identity of the attacker remained unknown.
In another recent case, the body of a 12-year-old girl was discovered in Jalalabad, the capital of neighboring Nangarhar province, on August 6. Local sources said preliminary findings indicated that she had been strangled and that there were signs of violence. Taliban authorities have not publicly commented on the case.
A March 2026 report by the rights group Rawadari documented at least 611 cases of targeted, mysterious, or extrajudicial killings and injuries across Afghanistan in 2025, marking an increase of more than 40% compared with the previous year.
While the Taliban say they have restored security nationwide, residents, civil society activists, and rights groups continue to raise concerns over civilian protection, transparent investigations, and accountability for perpetrators.
