A senior official was killed in a targeted attack in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province on Tuesday, the official confirmed, highlighting persistent security challenges despite claims of maintaining nationwide stability.
The Taliban’s police command in Badakhshan said Zabihullah Amiri, the group’s director of Information and Culture in the province, was attacked while traveling to his office along the Baharak-Faizabad highway. According to the statement, two armed men on a motorcycle opened fire on Amiri’s vehicle.
The Taliban’s police command in Badakhshan, Hesanullah Kamgar told Khaama Press that Zabihullah Amiri, the group’s director of Information and Culture in the province, was killed Tuesday morning in a targeted attack while traveling to his office along the Baharak-Faizabad highway.
The Taliban said security personnel accompanying Amiri killed one of the attackers at the scene, while operations were underway to locate the second suspect.
According to sources, Amiri was traveling from his home in Baharak district to his office when the attack occurred. His driver was reportedly wounded and taken to a medical facility for treatment.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The killing comes amid a series of attacks targeting Taliban officials and security personnel in Badakhshan, a strategically important province bordering Tajikistan, China and Pakistan. Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the province has remained one of the country’s most volatile regions, witnessing armed attacks, local unrest and periodic resistance activity.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), an armed group opposed to Taliban rule, has previously claimed responsibility for attacks against Taliban forces in Badakhshan. However, there is no evidence linking the group to Tuesday’s attack, and no organization had claimed responsibility at the time of publication.
The assassination underscores the continuing security risks facing Taliban officials despite the group’s repeated assertions that it has restored nationwide security. It also highlights the challenges the Taliban continues to face in parts of northern Afghanistan, where armed opposition activity and localized unrest have persisted.
Authorities said efforts to identify and apprehend the remaining suspect were continuing, and an investigation into the attack was underway.
