KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A young man was found dead in Afghanistan’s southern Zabul province, local Taliban authorities said, marking the latest in a series of mysterious killings and violent crimes reported across the country in recent weeks.
Zabihullah Jawhar, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Zabul, identified the victim as Abdul Hakim. He said the man had been missing for three weeks and that his body was discovered in Shar-e-Safa district on Monday.
Taliban authorities provided no further details on the incident, and the motive remains unknown.
Local sources told KabulNow that Hakim, originally from Kandahar province, owned a pharmacy in Zabul and disappeared while traveling along the Zabul-Kandahar highway.
The case comes amid multiple reports of mysterious killings and violent crimes in recent weeks, including incidents involving young people such as teenage boys and girls in various provinces.
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, an increase of more than 40 percent from the previous year. Victims included former government employees, individuals accused of links to opposition groups, protesters, tribal elders and other community figures.
While the Taliban say they have restored security nationwide since returning to power in 2021, residents, civil society activists and rights groups continue to express concern over civilian protection, the absence of independent investigations and the lack of accountability for perpetrators.
