‘Kabul is not safe’, a security advocacy campaign for crime combat in the Kabul streets

The residents of capital Kabul city have recently launched a security advocacy campaign against increasing crimes through social media tools.

The campaign named ‘Kabul is not safe/peaceful’ started following the assassination of a 22-year old Afghan student who was killed by armed street robbers in one of the streets during evening time.

Ali Sina Zafari, a third-year student at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), was snubbed to death by armed men while showing resistance to hand over his personal computer and laptop on Saturday night, in the 13^th district of Kabul City.

Zafari’s death sparked anger and concerns among other residents of Kabul, many of whom criticize the government and accuse the police of negligence.

Kabul police say they have registered 70 crime cases in the last two weeks, which includes armed conflicts, robbery and assassination cases.

The residents in Kabul cannot travel within the city with ‘peace of mind’ after the evening times, there are more chances of victimizing.

Fawzia Wahdat, a news anchor for Ariana Television Network expressing concerns wrote on her Facebook wall:

There is no one else except me in this street. Until I reach my office I have fear of facing armed robbers who would forcefully seize my smartphone and hurt me.

Aziz Ahmad Ahmady, a civilian official who lives in district 6 of Kabul city told Khaama Press that we notice several armed robberies in our area. Dozens of civilians are killed or injured by armed robbers on the streets of Kabul and the government does not care about it:

We hear gunfires from 08:00 PM onwards until midnight. I have called to 119 police emergency several times, they have always promised to send patrols to the site, but we never noticed any security improvements in our area.

Hamid Haidari, news manager for Afghanistan’s 1 TV channel called on the Kabul residents to join the ‘Kabul is not safe/peaceful’ advocacy campaign.

“Happenings in the last 24hrs in Kabul city; armed robbers injured a Kabul University lecturer with gunshots and seized his laptop and mobile forcefully. In another separate incident, a young student of the American University of Afghanistan was shot dead by armed robbers in district 13 of Kabul city.”, Haidari posted on his Facebook wall on January 5, 2020.

The security authorities have not yet responded to this campaign.