KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A member of the Taliban’s intelligence directorate shot and killed a local shopkeeper following a verbal dispute in Afghanistan’s eastern Laghman province, local sources told KabulNow.
The victim, identified as Afghan Kakar, was shot with a handgun in the Omerzai area of Mehtarlam, the provincial capital, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, according to the sources.
The alleged perpetrator works for the Taliban’s intelligence directorate in Laghman. They said the shooting occurred after a verbal dispute between the two men.
The motive behind the dispute was not immediately known.
Kakar’s family has urged Taliban authorities to investigate the killing and ensure those responsible are held accountable, the sources added.
The incident adds to a series of reports of civilians killed or injured in disputes involving Taliban members since the group returned to power in August 2021. In many of those cases, Taliban authorities have not publicly commented on the incidents or disclosed whether their members faced any legal or disciplinary action.
